Abandoned
by The Elo
Summary: Strange things lurk in the Forbidden Forest...a young girl is most likely not one of them. But who is she? Why is she there? And most importantly how is she managing to survive? These will be one of the many questions forming in Harry's mind...
1. Lyla

**It shall be known that I do not own Harry Potter. If I did I would be J.K Rowling...**

* * *

It was dark and a soft fog descended on the forbidden forest, casting fear into anyone who did not belong there. An eerily howl could be heard, filling in the absolute silence that always walked alongside the forest. Horrible strange beasts roamed this isolated place, werewolves, vampires, trolls the list went on. The trees loomed over, creating shadows in every corner, hiding unspoken things in the dark. It was hell to most, but to her it was home.

She had lived here so long showing in the deep thick dirt encasing her body and digging deep underneath her nails. Her hair wild and insane, thick and darkened brown from all the mud and crap she collected inside. It had been a while since she had her last wash; water wasn't a very abundant thing in the forest. More like the occasional puddle after a rainy day. She was seven when she fist started living in the forest, it seemed so long ago the life before, but she did know it had only been four years since she had taken refuge inside this place. She didn't really mingle among other people and so usually caught the occasional glimpse of a person walking by. Usually at this time of night she would be curled up in some warm dry area sleeping, but recently events had led her to explore what was really going on.

She had heard about it from the creatures that inhabited the forest and wished to have a glimpse. Rumours spread like wildfire through the forest, changing as each creature passed it on; all you had to do was listen carefully to the jitter chatter of rabbits and the sing-song voices of small birds. It was an entirely new form of Chinese whispers with, you can say…animals.

So far each rumour described something dark inhabiting the forest…nothing completely new of course. Most creatures over five-foot were considered dangerous. There was though one side of the rumour that defiantly caught her attention…That the thing was killing...

unicorns…

She knew how horrific that was since slaying a unicorn is a taboo and most become cursed…

It was then she heard the fait sound of hooves. Quickly and silently as ever, she climbed up one of the nearest trees, hiding herself deep with-in the branches. Not long after two centaurs, trotted past, having a hushed conversation between them. All she could make out of it was that "Mars was bright tonight". Really it was all the centaurs went on about…the stars.

She climbed down and continued her trek. Silently stalking the shadows and keeping close to the enormous trees inhabiting the forest. It was then, she heard voices. She knew instantly there were not usual dwellers. She crept closer to the sounds of their voices, staying hidden. It wasn't long until she found them.

There were six in total. One clearly visible from a long distance was a huge hairy man. Compared to the others, he dwarfed them.

The others themselves looked about her age. One was a plump boy, who seemed to grip another with a terrified expression on his face. His eyes were darting all over the place.

Another boy, with sleek blonde hair, was as terrified as the other, but manage to hide from the others. Well except from her. He seemed to have a snotty feel, about him and it was clear from the others…that none of them liked him.

There was also a girl with bushy brown hair, standing next to another boy, with black messy hair and glasses. The plump boy clung to him, and he tried being polite about it.

They all stood around obviously discussing something, between them. She moved closer so she could hear what they were actually saying.

The big man was talking in a scolding voice…

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two are makin'. Right, we're changin' groups- Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry you go with Fang an' this idiot." The giant man then bent down to whisper something to the boy with the glasses. She couldn't hear a word, of what they said.

They then split up into their designated groups and continued along the paths they were meant to follow. She decided to follow the glasses boy and the blonde one, with the black dog.

* * *

They spent at least an hour, walking through the undergrowth. Each step they took, seemed to shake the forest floor…they were so noisy.

Then they started to stop and pause looking at the floor. They quickly kept going, looking at the ground. She looked as to where they had and saw the glittering drops of unicorn blood… She quickly followed them as well keeping as close as possible. Until they came to a clearing and both the boys and the dog stopped to, and when she was close enough she could see why.

In the middle was the slayed form of pure white unicorn, laying spread out…dead. Then suddenly a cloaked creature emerged from the bushes, slithering across the ground. The boys and dog, stood stocked still, staring at the creature. She knew this is what the creatures of the forest whispered about. She watched as it bent down and started to drink the unicorn's blood. It was disgusting, how it could slay something so pure…

"AAAAAAAGH!" The blonde boy let out a terrible scream, bolting away with the black hound not far behind.

But the boy with glasses stayed still. And as the cloaked creature looked up and started to slither its way toward him, he still failed to move.

All she could think about how much of an idiot he was. So she picked up the nearest rock and threw it at the creature. Hitting him squarely in the head, it was enough to distract the creature. But the boy just staggered away, falling to his knees, clutching his head. Clearly in pain.

So she threw another rock, meeting again with the creature's head, stopping it in its tracks.

Then suddenly a centaur appeared galloping up and raising his hooves scaring the creature away. The boy just collapsed onto the ground passing out.

She wondered over carefully, knowing that centaurs weren't always so nice. And it was her curiosity that drove her towards them.

The centaur saw her coming and bowed to her.

She felt flattered.

"If it weren't for you, the Potter boy may have not survived tonight." He said. "I feared I would be too late."

She nodded in response, crouching near the boy.

"He will wake up soon. The pain he was caused came from his scar." The centaur said.

Sure enough where he had been clutching his head, was a lightning bolt-shaped scar. She traced her finger on it, earning a mumble from the boy. And then he slowly opened his eyes…

He jumped up in surprise to see her, gaping at her and then the centaur.

"Are you all right?" The centaur asked helping him up. She got up as well.

"Yes-thank you-what was that?" He asked, still having his head spinning. "Who are you?"

"I am Firenze and this girl here saved your life. If it weren't for her rocks then that creature would have got to you, long before I did." The centaur said.

Potter boy looked her and gave her a grateful smile, "Thank you." He said.

She smiled in response.

"What is your name?" He asks.

"Lyla," she whispered before shrinking back into the shadows.

"No! Wait! Come back!" The Potter boy shouted.

The centaur put a hand on his shoulder stopping him from rushing forward, Lyla now gone from their sights.

"There is no use. If she does not want to be found, you will not find her." He said.

"Who is she?" The Potter boy asks.

"Even us centaurs do not know. Consider yourself lucky Potter boy, not many have been granted to see her…not many at all."

* * *

**That was the first chapter to this story.**

**It will be all from Lyla's point of view. It is really her story following the Harry Potter books, with changes to suit the story line.**

**Please review and tell me whether you liked it or not? They are much appreciated. **


	2. Spiders

**Thank you to those that reviewed and followed! Now the story...**

* * *

Sitting on a tree branch Lyla was watching the stars. She found them quite intriguing, the way they glittered and flashed above. She used to wonder if you could touch the stars and had often tried. But, to no avail. It had been one of those nights, where the fog that usually descended onto the forest, disappeared and one could look up and not have to squint to see the stars. She found it quite relaxing, giving her time to think things through.

One thing that had been her mind lately was the spiders.

Living in the forest so long, spiders were a natural occurrence and one gets used them after a while. But she knew spider behaviour and definitely didn't see this as normal. Because they all follow each other in a line, just like ants, right down deep into the forest. They came from all sorts of angles from the forest, but they all headed in the same direction. If they were to meet they just made a bigger line then the one they had before. It was very…intriguing. Just like stars.

She was almost about to doze off into a sleepless dream, when she noticed the dim light that slowly gained size, as she watched it. She sat up and slowly climbed down a few branches to get a better view of the light. That's when she noticed the two figures and a dog, surrounding the light. And as they got closer she recognised one of them…Potter boy.

She couldn't help but smile…It had been over a year since she last saw him…but then what was he doing back in the forest?

It was settled she had to find out.

So, when they were close enough, she jumped out of the tree right in front of them.

Surprised didn't cover it…

Potter boy, backed away in freight, a clear improvement from last year.

While his red-haired friend fell to the floor, in shock.

And the great big black dog, just barked once and then whimpered, stepping back.

Potter boy quickly recovered and acted as if he had known her a long time, bringing his wand up to her face.

"Lyla?" he said.

She nodded.

"What the bloody hell?" The red-head said.

Helping his friend up, Potter boy said, "Ron, remember last year when I got attacked by Voldemort in the forest?"

The boy flinched at the mention of Voldemort.

"Uh, yeah?" Ron said.

"Well…this is Lyla, the girl who saved me." Potter boy said.

Ron looked up and down Lyla taking in her appearance.

"Do you live in the forest or something?" he asked.

Lyla smiled, "Yes."

"Blimely…" Ron said.

"Lyla…do you know anything about where the spiders lead to?" Potter boy asked.

Lyla turned her attention to him, "Yes, they lead to a part of the forest that nobody goes."

"Oh great," Ron mumbled, "It had to be the place nobody goes too."

"Why that's?" Potter boy asked, ignoring Ron's comment.

"Don't know…I usually listen to what everybody says. There's usually a reason to why, so I don't go." Lyla answered shrugging.

Potter boy seemed to go into deep thought.

"Do you want to come with us?" He asked.

"Yes," she answered.

He smiled back at her and then gestured forward. "Let's go then."

* * *

They trudged along, following the steadily getting bigger line of spiders, much to Ron's agitation.

He mainly complained about someone called Hagrid, who seemed to have put them up to this mission to follow the spiders.

"Of course it will be spiders Hagrid wants us to follow. I mean after the dragon and the three-headed dog, of course it's going to be spiders!" Ron's says.

Lyla tilts her head looking at Ron, "Are you afraid of spiders?" She asks.

He looks at her strangely, "Uh, why…?"

"No reason…" She says, but shares an amused expression with Potter boy.

Then the black hound suddenly unleashed a deep throttled howl. Making the two boy's jump, Lyla didn't though, knowing there was a reason for the dog to howl and so started searching with her eyes for anything remotely recognisable. That's when she heard it…

"What?" Ron said, fear escaping his voice.

"There's something moving over there," Potter boy breathed. "Listen…Sounds like something big."

They listened and the sound of braking branches coming their way never can be good. Potter boy held his wand ready, as well as Ron.

"Oh no, oh no," Ron said, "Oh no, oh-"

He was shut up by Lyla's hand clasping over his mouth. She then brought one finger to her lips and hushed him.

A rumbling sound vibrated from where the thing was coming from and then silence.

"What do you think's it's doing?" Potter boy said.

"Probably getting ready to pounce," Ron said.

Lyla hushed them both, why can't they just shut up?

They waited, but were only met with eerily silence.

"Do you think it's gone?" Potter boy asks.

"Dunno-"

A blaze of light suddenly encased them, making each one shield their eyes in protection. Fang yelping and barking. Lyla had never seen anything like it before and was almost about to bolt when…

Ron shouted, "It's our car!"

Lyla had heard of cars, but had never seen one...She also didn't picture them moving around without an occupant.

Ron, followed by Potter boy and Lyla, rushed towards the blue car…well more like it's ruins. Even she could tell that it didn't use to look so dirty and muddy, with cracks and dents covering every inch of it…poor car.

"It was here all this time!" Ron said gazing at the car, "Look at it, the forest turned it wild…"

Potter boy put his wand into his pocket, while Ron continued to gaze and walk around the car.

"And we thought it was going to attack us," Ron said. "I wondered where it had gone!"

Lyla noticed Potter boy looking widely around at the floor. Then she noticed something in the dark.

"We've lost the trail," Potter boy said. "C'mon, let's go and find them."

But nobody listened to him, instead both Ron and Lyla stared transfixed onto the huge hairy spiders coming out of the darkness.

They didn't have time to react when the spiders rushed towards them, grabbing them around their middles, pincers clicking. Ron yelled, Fang whimpered and barked trying to fight off the creatures. Neither Potter boy or Lyla made a sound, too scared and surprised to say anything.

The spiders carried them for a distance, Lyla couldn't tell how long. She just tried to relax in its grasp, knowing that struggling wouldn't make a difference. She tried imaging herself somewhere else, but that had little effect of calming her down.

Suddenly she was dumped onto the ground and realised that one of the spiders was talking, calling out to someone, its pincers clicking every time it spoke.

"Aragog!" It said, "Aragog!"

She then noticed that everywhere she looked she was met with more...huge spiders.

Then appearing through the mist another spider appeared. Except this one was a big as an elephant and was older looking then the others. Grey hairs inhabiting its body and it's eyes a misty white colour...it was, she realised blind.

"What is it?" he said.

"Men and a lady." Clicked the spider that had caught Potter boy.

"Is it Hagrid?" Aragog said his milky eyes sweeping the scene.

"Strangers," clicked the one holding Ron.

"Kill them," Aragog said retreating back into the shadows. "I was sleeping..."

"Were friends of Hagrid!" Potter boy shouted as a last minute defense. "He-he sent us here."

The giant spider stopped saying, "Hagrid had never sent Men and a Lady into our Hallow before..."

"Hagrids in trouble," Potter boy said. "That's why he sent us..."

"In trouble?" The aged spider said, "But why has he sent you?"

Still sitting on the ground Potter boy spoke back. "They think, up at the school, that Hagrid's been setting-a-a something on the students. They've taken him to Azkaban."

Aragog clicked his pincers furiously, the sound mimicked by all the other spiders.

"But that was years ago," Aragog said fretfully. "Years and years ago. I remember it well. that's why they made him the leave the school. They believed I was the monster that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. They thought that Hagrid had opened the Chamber and sent me free."

"And you...you didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets " said Potter Boy looking fearful. But not as much as Ron who hadn't moved from his place sprawled on the floor. His eyes glued to the giant spider. Lyla not faring any better.

"I?" Aragog said anger printed in his voice. "I was not born in the castle. I came from a distant land. A traveler gave me to Hagrid as an egg. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in the cupboard in the castle, feeding me scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friend and a good man. When I was discovered and blamed for the death of the girl, he protected me. I have lived in the forest ever since, where Hagrid visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness..."

"So you never-never attacked anyone?" Potter boy said.

"Never,"croaked the old spider. "It would have been my instinct, but from respect of Hagrid, I never harmed any human. The body of the girl who was killed was discovered in the bathroom. I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which I grew up. Our kind like the dark and quiet..."

"But then...do you know what killed the girl," Potter boy said. "Because whatever it is, it's back and attacking people again-"

He was cut off by the clicking and sheer movement of hundreds of hairy spiders.

"The thing that lives in the castle," Aragog said, "is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others. Well do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, when I sensed the beast moving about the castle."

"What is it?" said Potter boy urgently.

"We do not speak of it!" Aragog fiercely. "We do not name it! I didn't even tell Hagrid the name of the dreaded creature, through he asked me, many times."

Potter boy seemed to understand not to press the matter further and Lyla was glad he did. All those spiders seemed terribly close...

"Er, we'll be just going then."

"Go?" Aragog said slowly. "I think not..."

"But-but-"

"My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wonders so willingly into our mist. Goodbye friends of Hagrid." And with that Aragog disappeared into his own mist.

They didn't have to turn round to know that thick wall of spiders was behind them, the sound of clicking pincers and scuttling feet, only proved it more. It was, Lyla thought...show time.

She turned round, holding both her hands up at the spiders, only to have licking flames cast out from her hands. Barbecuing the nearest spiders.

Potter boy and Ron stared at her mouths agape, the spiders completely forgotten from their minds.

"How the hell?" Ron began. Fang already sprinting off into the forest.

"Run!" Lyla shouted at them grabbing a hand from each boy. "Unless you prefer death by huge, hairy spider."

Their legs kicked into motion, carrying them along at a fast sprint, trying not to trip in the pitch black. The spiders though, had already regained themselves...

A stampede erupted behind them as hundreds of spiders thundered towards them. It only made them run faster. But the spiders were getting closer.

"Shoot more fire!" Ron yelled to Lyla.

And she was about to, when the area was suddenly flooded with light, the spiders retreating from the glare.

And there stood the blue car, swinging it's door hinges out. Fang quickly jumped in.

"Into the car!" Potter boy shouted rushing towards it.

"Duh!" Lyla couldn't help but shout.

They clambered in, just as the spiders swamped the area. It was, Lyla thought, much more cramped then she imagined...or was it that it seemed like millions of spiders squeezing the car inwards.

Spiders...definitly.

Ron pushed the accelerator down, the car giving a jolt, then speeding forward flinging the spiders off the car. Bangs were heard outside as rogue spiders tried to break into a fast moving vehicle, failing dramatically.

And then...the spiders just stopped.

* * *

Even when the spiders had stopped, they carried on going, until they reached the edge of the forbidden Forest.

"Follow the spiders?" Ron said, all standing outside the car. "I'll never forgive Hagrid."

"He sounds like a great guy..." Lyla murmured.

"Great?" Ron said in disbelief. "What hell have we learned from going in there?" Ron gestured towards the forest.

"That Hagrid didn't open the Chamber of Secrets," Potter boy said. "He was innocent."

There was a pause between them. It was then they both noticed that Lyla had disappeared.

"Where the hell did she just disappear off to?" Ron said looking with-in the forest for a certain dirty girl.

"I don't know," Potter boy said. "She does that..."

"Who the hell is she anyway? Does Professor Dumbledore know that she lives there?" Ron asked.

"Yeah...he does actually." Potter boy said. "He said...we shouldn't really question it and that we can't tell anybody."

Ron look dumbstruck at the news. "Why would he let someone live in the forest for?"

"Dunno..." Potter boy said gazing at the dark forest. "We can only guess..."

* * *

**Chapter two done!**

**I have no idea when the next one will be up, you'll just have to wait and see.**

**So did you like it? Wish to tell me any mistakes I've made? **

**Review!**


	3. Hermione and Buckbeak

Lyla rarely ever came close to the forest edge. She had, you can say, been forbidden to do so. But Lyla's curiosity always got the better of her. So here she was sitting on a tree branch gazing out to Hogwarts.

It always amazed her, Hogwarts. The huge, wooden front doors, the towers ending in points, the windows which littered all over, and when the dark arrived, the castle emited a soft glow, light streaming out the windows. Lyla always loved it.

She had only been inside once and that was the day before she came and lived in the forest. She still could remember the huge halls, she remembered been so fascinated and probably had her mouth open the whole entire time. She smiled at the memory.

It was then she noticed three certain people, two of which she recognised and one was familiar, throw a cloak over themselves and then disappear. She knew people didn't just disappear, but she also knew magic could do a whole lot of things.

So when she saw two people appear at the forest edge that looked exstradiary like two of the three people who went under the cloak. She only wondered where the other one was. They both stopped underneath the tree she was on.

"Right," The bushy haired girl said, "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's. Keep out of sight-"

She then gave out a shriek, and then quickly realising her mistake, put her hand over her mouth.

Lyla just grinned from her hanging place above them.

"It isn't funny Lyla…" Potter boy said sighing. As Lyla jumped to the ground joining them.

Lyla laughed saying, "It never gets old…"

"So Potter boy," Lyla said her laughter gone but her grin still there. "Who's your friend?"

"Potter boy?" Potter boy mumbled to himself.

"Um, Hermione Granger," Hermione squeaked.

"Why Potter boy?" Potter boy asked looking strangely at her.

"I actually don't know you're really name…" Lyla said.

Potter boy seemed confused by this, "Well it's Harry."

"Alright then...Harry," Lyla said trying out the new name. "What are you doing so close to the forbidden forest? Last time it was because of spiders."

"Um, well we're trying to save a hippogriff and a mass murder…" Harry said his voice trailing off, realising how weird it actually sounded.

"Or is it," Lyla said looking towards Hagrid's hut. "Because that your actually heading towards that house right now with Ron?"

"Er…that too," Harry said.

"Mind if I tag along?" Lyla said smiling.

"Er…no. We don't mind." Harry said.

Hermione seemed to have a sudden thought, "How did you know we were heading towards that hut, when we are actually underneath the invisibility cloak? That is so weird to say…"

"I watched you put the cloak on and you guys seemed to be heading towards the house…so I presumed that's where you're going." Lyla said.

"Okay..." Hermione said not really sure about her. "Come on we've got to get close enough to Hagrid's."

They followed Hermione sticking close to the shadows of the trees. When they came with-in range of Hagrids house they heard a knock.

"It's us." Came Harry's voice by the door. "We're wearing the invisibility cloak. Let us in so we can take it off."

"Yeh shouldn't of come!" Hagrid whispered opening the door. He then stood aside and closed the door behind what they knew to be themselves.

"This is the weirdest thing I have ever done," Harry said.

"Let's move along a bit," Hermione said, "We need to be closer to Buckbeak."

"That's the hippogriff right?" Lyla asked.

Harry and Hermione both nodded.

They silently moved through the trees, coming across to a pumpkin patch, with a tethered hippogriff in it.

"Now?" Harry whispered.

"No!" Hermione said desperately. "If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!"

"That's going to give us sixty seconds." Harry said.

It was starting to seem impossible now, and Lyla would know.

A huge crash was suddenly heard from inside the house.

"That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione whispered. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment"

"Scabbers?" Lyla asked.

"Ron's rat who turned out to be an Amimagus called Peter Pettigrew," Hermione answered for her.

"Well that simplifies that a bit," Lyla said sarcastically.

There was a sudden shriek from inside, which Lyla guessed was Hermione finding Scabbers.

"Hermione," Harry said suddenly, "what if we - we just run in there, and grab Pettigrew-"

"No!" said Hermione in a terrified whisper. "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen-"

"We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!" Harry said.

"Harry, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid's house?" Hermione said.

"I'd - I'd think I'd gone mad," Harry said, "or I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on - "

"_Exactly! _You wouldn't understand, you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened to when wizards have meddled with time...loads of them end up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"

"Oh is that why there's two versions of you." Lyla said.

"Wait, what?" Harry said seeming to come back to reality, both turning to look at her.

"Oh it was just bugging me, how you could be in two places at once," Lyla said with a shrug.

Harry and Hermione both stared at her. "Didn't you know that already? Hermione asked.

"Why would I know already?" Lyla asked puzzled.

"Oh...um no reason," Hermione said thinking it through.

Then Hermione quickly pointed towards the castle. Sure enough there was Dumbledore, and three other people, one of them with an axe.

"Are those...?"Lyla asked.

"Yep, that's them." Harry said.

"We'll be coming out in a minute." Hermione whispered.

And sure enough, they watched the three of them appear from Hagrid's backdoor with Hagrid.

Lyla imagined what it would be like to see yourself standing in front of you...she conclued it would be awfully weird...

"It's okay, Beaky, it's okay..." Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Then turning to Harry, Ron and Hermione, "Go on. Get goin'."

"Hagrid, we can't - "

"We'll tell them what really happened - "

"They can't kill him - "

"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!" Hagrid said.

Then, the Hermione in the pumpkin patch, threw the cloak over them all and they listened to the soft retreating footsteps of their past selves. And they were gone.

A knock on the front door, meant the execution party had arrived. Hagrid quickly went to open the door, going through the back to get there.

"Where is the beast?" Came a cold male voice.

"Out - outside," Hagrid croaked.

A head appeared from the window gazing at the hippogriff hungrily.

Another voice, softer then the one before spoke.

"We - er - have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, you're supposed to listen too, that's procedure - "

The man at the window vanished. If they were going to do it, it will be now.

"Wait here," Harry whispered, "I'll do it."

Harry scampered out heading towards Buckbeak. He then slowed down when he was slightly with-in range.

The man with the softer voice started to speak again.

"_It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the Hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the sixth of June at sundown_ - "

Harry bowed in front of Buckbeak, keeping his head level with the hippogriff. Buckbeak bowed back. Then Harry quickly ran over and started to fumble with the rope. Undoing the knot.

"..._sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair_..."

Harry tried to pull on the rope, but Buckbeak had decided otherwise...

"...as_ witnessed below._ Hagrid you sign here..."

Harry pulled with all his might, leaning back to drag the hippogriff along. But Buckbeak dug his heels in...

"Well let's get this over with," came a new weedy voice. "Hagrid, prehaps it would be better if you stayed inside - "

"No, I - I want' ter be with him...I don' wan' him ter be alone - "

The sound of footsteps echoed within the cabin.

Harry was still trying to pull and Lyla got up and ran over, grabbing onto the rope as well.

Buckbeak started to walk, rustling his wings irritably. They still weren't close enough and they will be out any moment.

"One moment, please, Macnair," came Dumbledore's voice. "You need to sign, too."

The footsteps stopped. Lyla thanked Dumbledore silently in her mind.

They continued to drag Buckbeak closer, almost there...

Then the footsteps started again.

Lyla could see Hermione mouthing, "Hurry, hurry!"

With one last tug they pulled the hippogriff into the forest.

"Stop!" Harry whispered, "They might hear us..."

They did and stood as still as rabbits caught in head lights.

There was the sound of the back door opening and then...

Silence...

"Where is it?" Came the weedy voice. "Where is the beast?"

"It was right here!" said the executioner. "I saw it tied. It was right there!"

"How extraordinary," Dumbledore said amused.

"Beaky!" Hagrid cried.

A swishing noise came and the sound of an axe hitting the ground, was heard...The execution must of swung in annoyance.

Then Hagrid started wailing and howling, "Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Breaky, yeh clever boy!"

Buckbeak tried to get back to Hagrid, it took all three of them to stop him.

"Someone untied him!" The executioner yelled. "We should search the grounds, the forest - "

"Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?" Dumbledore said still sounding amused. "Search the skies if you must...Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy."

"O'...o' course, Professor," Hagrid said, who sounded weak with happiness. "Come in, come in..."

They heard footsteps, the soft cursing of the executioner, the snap of the door, and then silence once more.

"Now what?" Whispered Harry, looking around.

"We'll have to hide in here," Hermione said, who looked very shaken. "We need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius' window. He won't be there for another couple of hours...oh, this is going to be difficult..."

Hermione looked into the dark depths of the forest. The sun was setting.

"We're going to have to move," said Harry. "we've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on."

"Okay," said Hermione. "But we've got to keep out of sight, Harry, remember..."

* * *

**This and the chapter after it were meant to be one chapter...but it just got to long, so I cut it in half.**

**...So will you review and tell me whether it was good or not? **

**It will be immensely helpful if you do.**


	4. Dementors

**Finished!**

**And not long after the first one.**

**You guys should be proud of me!**

* * *

"That rule right?" Lyla said, the three of them hiding behind a knot of roots, the Whomping Willow in sights, Buckbeak tied close by. "The one about not being seen. Does that apply to me? As well?"

"Well, we never saw you..." Harry said.

"But that still doesn't mean that you should." Hermione pointed out.

"But I could?" Lyla asked.

"Well...Yeah," Hermione said, "But you still shouldn't."

Lyla decided to think about it.

"There's Ron!" Harry said, pointing to a running figure in the distance, shouting.

"Get away from him - get away- Scabbers, come here-"

Two more figures appeared, chasing Ron. Lyla knew it was Harry and Hermione. Suddenly Ron dived to the ground.

"Gotcha! Get off you stinking cat - "

"There's Sirius!" Harry said, just as a great big black dog leaped from the hidden roots of the Whomping Willow.

They saw him bowl Harry over, then seize Ron...

"Looks even worse from here, doesn't it?" Harry said watching Sirius dragging Ron down into the Whomping Willow. "Ouch - look I just got walloped by the tree - so did Hermione - this is so weird."

The tree thrashed it branches around, trying to hit the two dodging figures. The it froze...

"That was Crookshanks pressing on the knot," Hermione said. "My cat," she added for Lyla.

"And there we go..." Harry muttered. "We're in..."

The moment they were, the tree started moving again. Then Dumbledore and the three other people appeared beside the tree, making their way up to the castle.

"Right after we had gone into the passage." Said Hermione, frustrated. "If only Dumbledore came with us..."

"Macnair and Fudge would have come too, "Harry said bitterly. "I bet you anything Fudge would've told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot..."

They watched the four men climb the steps and disappear from view. For sometime everything was deserted.

"Here comes Lupin!" Harry said.

And sure enough another figure appeared. He grabbed a fallen branch and then pressed the knot on the tree, it going still, then went down into the hole.

"If he'd only grabbed the cloak," said Harry. "It's just lying there..."

He turned to Hermione.

"If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape'd never be able to get it and - "

"Harry, _we mustn't be seen!"_

"How can you stand this?" he asked Hermione fiercely. "Just standing here and watching it happen?"

"He's got a point," Lyla said.

"_Not helping_, _Lyla_," Hermione hissed.

"I'm going to grab the cloak!" Harry said.

"Harry, no!"

Hermione grabbed Harry's robes. Then Hagrid, singing at the top of his voice, came swaying up to the castle. A large bottle in his hands.

"_See?_" Hermione whispered. "See what could have happened? We've got to keep out of sight! No, Buckbeak!"

The Hippogriff made frantic attempts to get to Hagrid. All three of them pulled onto the rope, stopping him. Until Hagrid had gone. Buckbeak drooped his head sadly, no longer fighting.

Then a few minutes later, Snape appeared, running down to the Whomping Willow. They watched as Snape stopped near the tree and started looking around until he found the cloak.

"Get your filthy hands off it," Harry snarled as Snape picked it up.

"Shh!" Hermione hissed.

Snape used the branch Lupin had used, prodding the knot and then vanishing as the cloak covered him.

"So that's it," Hermione said. "We're all down there...and now we've got to wait until we come back up again..."

She tied Buckbeak's rope to the nearest tree before sitting down again. Harry and Lyla joined her.

"Harry, there's something I don't understand..." Hermione began. "Why didn't the Dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and I think I passed out... there were so many of them..."

Harry recounted to them both, the events of before. Both Hermione's and Lyla's mouths hanged open by the end.

"But what was it?"Hermione asked.

"There's only one thing it could have been, to make the Dementos go," said Harry. "A real Patronus. A powerful one."

"But who conjured it?" Hermione asked. Lyla thinking the question too.

Harry didn't answer going into deep thought.

"Didn't you see what they looked like?" said Hermione eagerly. "Was it one of the teachers?"

"No," Harry said. "He wasn't a teacher."

"But it must have been a really powerful wizard, to drive all those Dementors away...If the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light him up? Couldn't you see - ?

"Yeah I saw him, "Harry said cutting off Hermione. "But...maybe I imagined it...I wasn't thinking straight...I passed out right afterwards..."

"Who do you think it was?" asked Lyla.

"I think - " Harry swallowed. "I think it was my dad."

But that wasn't possible? Was it? Lyla thought. She knew that Harry's parents were dead...so how?

"Harry, your dad's - well - dead," Hermione said quietly.

"I know that," Harry said quickly.

"Was it a ghost?" Lyla asked.

"I don't know...no...he looked solid." Harry said frowning.

"But then - "

"Maybe I was seeing things," Harry said. "But...from what I could see...it looked like him."

Hermione looked worried, but Lyla wasn't sure whether to be. Growing up in the forest, you tend to see things, which you think was one thing then turn out to be another...So really it could of been the trick of the light.

"I know it sounds mad," said Harry flatly.

Lyla decide to change the subject, "Tell me what happened inside the Whomping Willow."

Hermione went into a long speech, detailing the events, Harry, speaking every now and again.

"Sounds like a rough night..." Lyla said at the end of the speech.

"And it's about to end again," Hermione said. "Look!"

There, coming out of the Whomping Willow, was them. They saw Lupin, Ron and Pettigrew clambering out awkwardly first, followed by Hermione, then Sirius, Harry and an unconscious floating Snape.

Harry glanced up at the sky, Lyla's eyes following, only to look at the still hidden moon. She knew it wouldn't be long until that cloud moved to revel the moon...

"Harry," Hermione murmured, "we've got to stay put. We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do..."

Lyla wanted to help as well, rushing forward and stopping everything, but she knew...Hermione was right.

"So we're just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again..." Harry said quietly.

"How do you expect to find a rat in the _dark?" _snapped Hermione. "There's nothing we can do! We came back to help Sirius. We're not supposed to be doing anything else!"

"All right!" Harry said annoyed.

The moon slid out from behind it's cloud. They saw the tiny figures across the ground stop. Then they saw movement -

"There's goes Lupin," Hermione whispered. "He's transforming - "

"Hermione! Lyla!" Harry suddenly said. The girls heads whipping around to look at him. "We've got to move!"

"We mustn't. I keep telling you - "

"Not to interfere! But Lupin's going to run into the fores, right at us!"

Hermione gasped and Lyla's eyes wondered to the howling figure in the distance.

"Quick!" Hermione said, panicking, dashing to untie Buckbeak. "Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The Dementors will be coming any moment - "

"Back to Hagrids!" Harry said. "it's empty now - come on!"

They sprinted as fast as they could, Buckbeak cantering along them. They could hear the werewolf howling behind them.

The cabin was in sight. Harry skidded to the door, wrenched it open, everybody else filling into the cramped cabin.

Lyla heard Harry shut and bolt the door, then Fang the boarhound barked loudly.

"Shh, Fang, it's us!" Hermione said, going over and scratching him behind the ears, quieting him.

"That was really close!" She said.

"Yeah..." said Harry.

"Isn't it a bit obvious?" Lyla said resting against the wall, only to have Fang wonder over and lick her face.

"Gross..." Hermione said.

Lyla just shrugged, wiping the slobber off, "I've had worse..."

Buckbeak sat down in front of the fire, folding his wings, looking very contempt.

"I think I'd better go outside again, you know?" Harry said slowly. "I can't see what's going on - we won't know when it's time - "

Both Lyla and Hermione looked at him suspiciously.

"I'm not going to interfere," said Harry quickly. "But if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius?"

"Well...Okay then...but Lyla you go with him, I'll wait here with Buckbeak...But both you be careful - there's a werewolf out there - and the Dementors - "

Harry and lyla both stepped outside the cabin, into the freezing night air.

"So what are we actually going to do?" Lyla asked knowing that what he was saying wasn't the complete truth.

"Well, we are going to make sure that we know how far we are..." Harry began.

"And?" Lyla questioned.

"...We're going to see who cast that Pratronus." Harry reluctantly said.

"Okay," Lyla said, "let's go..."

They started making there way towards the lake, when they noticed the Dementors gliding in.

"There's so may of them..." Lyla trailed off.

"Yeah..." Harry agreed.

They got closer and closer, until they could see small whispers of a failed Pratronus - most likely Harry's attempts.

They stood at the opposite side of the lake, facing Harry's and Hermione's past selves and Sirius.

They waited...no one coming...

"Come on!" Harry muttered. "Where are you? Dad, come on - "

No one came and they watched as the Dementors started to close in on their prey, one sweeping down towards Sirius - ready to make the kiss...

"It was me," Harry said suddenly and before Lyla could do anything, he stepped forward and yelled,

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A huge silver stag erupted out of his wand galloping towards the Dementors, light shining brightly from it.

Lyla decided, she should have a go.

Aiming her hands at the Dementors, she shouted, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A silver snake coiled out of her hands, extending it's self, then slithering towards the Dementors, helping the Stag chase them away.

Then they both returned to their masters, the Dementors fleeing leaving the three unconscious people alone...Safe.

Harry reached out to touch is stag, just as he said.

"Prongs?" The the stag faded into the night.

Lyla didn't know what to think...she knew what a Pratronus was and she didn't like her Pratronus...at all. It sacred her to think what it might mean...

Then suddenly the sound of footsteps and hooves approached them and Lyla and Harry both whirled round to be met with a very angry Hermione...

"_What did you do_?" she said fiercely. "You said you were going to keep a look out! Lyla! I thought you would stop him!"

"We just saved our lives..." Harry said. "Get behind here - behind this bush - we'll explain."

And so they told Hermione what happened...

Hermione's mouth was yet again hanging open.

"Did anyone see you two?"

"Yes, haven't you been listening? I saw me but I thought I was my dad! It's okay!"

"Harry I can't believe it - you conjured up a Pratronus! And you," Hermione said turning to loom at Lyla, "You conjured one without a wand!"

"Uh...Yeah?" Lyla said confused.

"That's really advance magic Harry!" Hermione said excitedly. "I wonder how you do it, Lyla...Maybe because you never had a proper wand - and you've just got on with out one! That's really - "

Lyla clamped her hand over Hermione's mouth.

"Hermione shh!" Harry whispered as Snape appeared assessing the scene, then producing stretchers for each person. As he walked back, they bobbed behind him, following.

"Right, it's nearly time," Hermione said tensely, looking at her watch. "We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realises we're missing..."

* * *

They waited, watching the moon drift in and out of the clouds. Lyla swinging on a near by branch, Buckbeak digging for worms.

"Lyla," Hermione asked, Lyla stopping in mid swing to look at Hermione. "How do you survive in the forest?"

Lyla jumped down from her perch sitting down in front of Hermione. "Why do you ask?"

"Well," Hermione began, "it's just that you've been here a long time and...well I'm just curious..."

Lyla eyes lingered on Hermione before answering.

"I can tell you I don't do it on my own...But that's all. I'm - well - not allowed to tell...it's for my own safety..."

Hermione nodded in understanding.

"D'you reckon he's up there yet?" Harry said, checking his watch.

"Look!" Hermione suddenly said. "Who's that? Someones coming out of the castle!"

Squinting in the darkness, Lyla saw a lone figure dashing across the ground, something gleaming against it's waist...

"Macnair!" said Harry. "The executioner! He's gone to get the Dementors! That's it, Hermione, Lyla - "

They all climbed onto Buckbeaks back, Harry and Hermione needing a push. Harry then grabbed Buckbeak's rope, acting as reins.

"Ready?" Harry whispered to them. "You'd better hold on to me - "

Lyla gripped Hermione's waist, Hermione doing the same to Harry.

Harry dug his heels into Buckbeak's sides, Buckbeak instantly took a running leap into the air, extending his ginormous wings.

Lyla could feel his wings beating underneath them as they rose higher.

Harry pulled on the reins, directing Buckbeak to one of the towers of Hogwarts.

Lyla could hear Hermione muttering in front of her.

"Oh, no - I don't like this - I really don't like this - "

While Hermione hang on for dear life, Lyla started to loosen her grip on Hermione.

Then held her arms out wide, a grin plastered on her face. She loved it.

"Whoa!" Harry said. Buckbeak jerking and then halting in mid air.

"He's there," Harry shouted and bringing Buckbeak up to that window. Lyla could just see a crouching man, only for him to look up...and his mouth drop open.

Sirius ran to the window and tried to open it, but the window wouldn't budge.

"Stand back!" Hermione called to him, he following the order.

Hermione whipped out her wand, pointed it at the window's lock and said,

"Alohomora!"

The window sprang open.

"How- how - ?" Sirius said weakly, staring at the hippogriff.

"Get on - there's not much time,"Harry said holding Buckbeak steadily. "You've got to get out of here - the Dementors are coming. Macnair's gone to get them."

Sirius squeezed out of the window and in seconds had his legs over Buckbeak behind Hermione. Lyla moving over.

"Okay, Buckbeak, up!" said Harry, shaking the rope. "Up to the tower - come on!"

The hippogriff gave one sweep of it's mighty wings and they were soaring upwards again, high as the top of the West Tower. Buckbeak landed with a clatter on the battlements and Harry and Hermione slid off him at once.

"Sirius, you'd better go, quick," Harry panted. "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you've gone."

"What happened to the other boy? Ron?" said Sirius urgently.

"He's going to be Okay - he still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she'll be able to make him better. Quick - go!"

Sirius was still staring at Harry, Lyla was about to grab the ropes herself.

"How can I ever thank - "

"GO!" Harry and Hermione shouted together.

Sirius wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky.

"We'll see each other again," he said. "You are - truly your father's son, Harry..."

Sirius squeezed Buckbeak's sides and then Buckbeak took off into the night, carrying his two passengers.

"See ya Lyla!" Harry shouted after them.

"See ya Potter boy!" Lyla shouted back, watching as they both, he and Hermione disappeared into the castle.

Buckbeak soared up, coming over the Forbidden Forest.

"Sorry, but I don't believe we've been introduced." Sirius said, pulling Buckbeak's ropes to send him well away from the castle. "Sirius Black!"

"Lyla!" Lyla shouted, the wind carrying her voice behind them.

"Just Lyla then?"

"Yep, just Lyla."

"Obviously aren't a student with the clothes your wearing!" Sirius said. "Where do you want to me to drop you off!"

"In the forest!" Lyla shouted.

"Right then," Sirius said. "Down we go!"

Buckbeak swerved down into the depths of the Forbidden Forest.

Lyla didn't know if she will ever get a normal day with Harry.

She probably may never will...

* * *

**Hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter.**

**The next one might be longer, or I might split it into two chapters, like the other two.**

**I'm not sure yet, so we'll find out.**

**It may be a while until I update that one, so prepared for a long wait...**

**So Review! And I might update quicker.**


	5. Nightmares and Madness

She had been having them for a while now...the _nightmares._

Lyla knew there was something different about these nightmares. Not only did they happen frequently, they felt so…_real._

They plagued her every night, earning her puffy bags underneath her eyes and for her to be more droopy and upset during the day. The usual from lack of sleep. They weren't always the same, but there was one constant throughout the ordeal…

_Harry_.

He was in every one of them. Whether he was being chased, tortured, looking years older or being held against his will… he was always there. She wondered what it meant, Harry being there, but she didn't understand where the nightmares were coming from.

There was someone else...Who appeared almost as regular as Harry...

_Voldemort_.

Those red slits for eyes….they tortured her, because she knew Harry was seeing it...too...

_But is it really real?_

* * *

The Triwizard Tournament...

Lyla had to admit that it had been exciting... Even if a certain someone was involved... Harry probably could never stay out of trouble, no matter how he tried...

typical...

The first had been her favorite so far. With the huge scaly dragons, their eyes burning with fury. She was so scared...she loved it. She had actually seen them come, with their large crates, dumped on the forest floor. Wizards and witches firing spells trying to control them. She was really amazed.

The second task wasn't so good... Having it underwater made it so..._boring._

You couldn't see anything the Champions were up to, you just had to wait for an hour for all of them to come back (Lyla had ended up throwing rocks at a tree). She was of course worried about Harry, but there wasn't really anything she could do if something did happen, and anyway Dumbledore was there and he was reliable.

Now she was watching (safely concealed in branches) the Champions finding out about the third task. Which was where the Quidditch pitch was.

Huge hedges stretched for miles, carving there own way through

"Hello there," called a cheery voice, standing in front of the hedges, with Fleur and Krum. Marking the arrival of the last two Champions Harry and Cedric.

"Well, what d'you think?" Ludo Bagman said happily. "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty foot high. Don't worry," He added catching Harry's and Cedric's unhappy faces. "you'll have your Quidditch pitch back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?"

No one spoke for a moment. Then -

"Maze," grunted Krum.

"That's right!" said Bagman. "A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks."

"We seemply 'ave to get through the maze?" said Fleur.

"There will be obstacles," said Bagman happily. "Hagrid is providing a number of creatures...then there will be spells which must be broken...all that sort of thing, you know. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze." Bagman grinned at Harry and Cedric. "Then Mr Krum will enter...Miss Delacour. But you'll all be with a fighting chance, depending on how well you get pass the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?"

They all nodded polity, probably not actually agreeing with Ludo's last statement.

"Very well...if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the castle, shall we, it's a bit chilly..."

Wuss, Lyla thought.

They started to head back to the castle. Lyla sneakily went back into the forest, without anyone noticing.

She had only just got there, when she noticed someone lurking in the depths.

She climbed up into the branches of a nearby tree, watching him.

He was in a hell of a state, hair mangled, robes torn and muddy from walking in the forest. Blood seeped through various wounds on his legs and arms. It was, she realized, Mr Crouch. Even though she knew he was alone, he sounded if he was...he wasn't.

"Now, Weatherby, make sure you got all that paperwork done...Yes, it is important, with Triwizard Tournament and all..." Mr Crouch mumbled to a tree.

Who was Weatherby? Lyla wondered.

She watched as Mr Crouch, started moving, getting closer to the edge of the forest. She followed him, until she noticed two people standing near the edge. Krum and Harry.

They were talking about something, when Mr Crouch's foot snapped on twigs. Harry quickly moved Krum out of the way, staring intently at the forest.

"Vot is it?" Krum asked.

Then Mr Crouch stumbled into their view. It suddenly occurred to Lyla that she had seen all this before...

Both of the boys faces displayed unique surprise, their eyes taking in ever detail of Mr Crouches appearance.

"Vosn't he a judge?" Krum asked. "Isn't he vith your Ministry?"

Harry nodded then took a step closer to Mr Crouch, his mutterings just the same.

"...and when you've done that, Weatherby, send a owl to Dumbledore confirming the number of Durmstrang students who will be attending the Tournament, Karkaroff has just sent word there will be twelve..."

"Mr Crouch?" Harry said cautiously.

"...and then send another owl to Madame Maxime, because she might want to up the number of students she's bringing, now Karkaroff's made it a round dozen...do that, Weatherby, will you? Will you? Will..." Mr Crouch's eyes went wide and then he buckled down onto his knees, in front of a lone tree.

"Mr Crouch?" Harry said. "Are you all right?"

Mr Crouch wasn't listening, his eyes rolling back into his head, a dazed, madding expression on his face. Krum came beside Harry looking down on Crouch.

"Vot's vrong vith him?" Krum asked.

"No idea" Harry said. "Listen you better go and get someone - "

"Dumbledore!" Mr Crouch sprang into life, grabbing Harry's ropes and yet looking over the top of his head. "I need...see...Dumbledore."

"Okay," Harry said, "if you get up, Mr Crouch, we can go up to the - "

"I've...done...stupid.. thing..." Mr Crouch breathed, each word he said seeming to take all his effort. "Must...tell...Dumbledore..."

"Get up, Mr Crouch," said Harry loudly and clearly. "Get up, I'll take you to Dumbledore!"

Mr Crouch's eyes fixated on Harry.

"Who...you?" he whispered.

"I'm a student at the school," Harry said. He looked back to Krum for help, but Krum stood back looking extremely nervous.

"You're not...his?" whispered Crouch.

"No," said Harry. Lyla didn't think he knew what he was talking about...neither did Lyla.

"Dumbledore's?"

"That's right," Harry said.

Crouch pulled Harry closer. Harry trying to loosen his grip, but Crouch was too strong.

"Warn...Dumbledore."

"I'll get Dumbledore if you let go of me," said Harry. "Just let go, Mr Crouch, and I'll get him..."

"Thank you, Weatherby, and when you have done that, I would like a cup of tea. My wife and son will be arriving shortly, we are attending a concert tonight with Mr and Mrs Fudge."

Crouch was now talking fluently to a tree again, and seemed unaware that anybody was there. Lyla was just as surprised as Harry was, at the sudden change.

"Yes, my son has recently gained twelve O. most satisfactory, yes, thank you, yes, very proud indeed. Now, if you could bring me that memo from the Andorran Minister for Magic, i think I will have time to draft a response..."

"You stay here with him!" Harry said to Krum. "I'll get Dumbledore, I'll be quicker, I know where his office is - "

"He is mad," Krum said doubtfully, staring down at Crouch who was still gabbling to the tree.

"Just stay with him," said Harry, starting to get up, but his movement brought Crouch back to reality.

"Don't...leave...me!" he whispered, gripping onto Harry's robes. "I...escaped...must warn...must tell...see Dumbledore...my fault...all my fault...Bertha...dead...all my fault...my son...my fault...tell Dumbledore...Harry Potter...the Dark Lord...stronger...Harry Potter..."

Harry looked furiously at Krum, "Help me, will you?"

Looking extremely apprehensive, Krum moved forward and squatted down next to Crouch.

"Juts keep him here," Harry said, pulling himself free from Mr Crouch's grasp. "I'll be back with Dumbledore."

"Hurry, von't you?" Krum called after Harry. Harry himself disappearing up to the castle.

Lyla just hid and stared. She had worked out, why this was so familiar...she and seen it in a _dream_...

And she knew what was going to happen next.

Krum gaze looked behind him, searching for Harry coming back.

The spell hit him squarely in the back and he flopped down onto the ground, knocked out.

The mad Mr Crouch, looked at the unconscious Krum and then carried on talking to the tree.

A man stepped out behind the tree, limping.

Madeye Moody...

But Lyla knew there was something wrong with him. She didn't know what...

Lyla curled up in the branches of the tree, shielding her eyes, for what was to come next...

"Avada Kadavra!" Moody shouted.

A flash of green light, filled the night air. Mr Crouch's mutterings...no more...

Lyla, felt frozen in the tree... still. The nightmare of this, replaying in her mind...over...and...over...

She heard the scraping, and another spell performed, then heavy footsteps fading away.

Her body took over from her mind, making her jump down from the tree and sprint away from the scene.

She had only one thought playing through her mind as she ran deep into the forest...

_How many other nightmares are real?_

* * *

**And the plot thickens...**

**Looks like it wasn't going to be as long as I thought.**

**Which is good for you guys since I can update quicker! :)**

**Then next chapter is going to be a little darker... ****  
**

**You have been warned!**


	6. Memories and Explantions

Lyla lay sprawled out on the grimy forest floor. Tears leaked out of her eyes, leaving snail trails down her cheeks.

They were getting worse… And she knew she was starting to lose it. Time didn't seem to pass normally. She would close her eyes one minute, then open them to find the sun setting, and she, being in a completely different part of the forest. She was so sure the sun had been rising…

She was scared now…of falling asleep. She would try and stay up as long as she could, but she never could make it so far. And she did she'll find herself sweating and panting as she saw it over…

and over…

and over…

It was the same nightmare…exactly the same.

A graveyard,

Bones,

Harry,

_Voldemort._

Every time she saw it, more detail would visualize itself before her. She just saw more. But today she had woken up, after a so bright version of that nightmare… and she knew it was time… time to save

_Harry_…

* * *

She could just hear the cries and celebrations of what she knew to be Harry's return from the maze, or the graveyard, depends what angle you look it from. She could see the fireworks springing up into the night air, bringing light to a usually dark place. It marked her next move.

She sprinted out of the forest, crawling up to the castle. It was important she got there on time. She suddenly saw Harry and Moody walking at a fast pace up to the castle. Moody's limp stopping him from going any faster. She shrank to the shadows, hiding, not even halfway up to the castle. She watched them enter the great huge doors and close them with a thud. She had to be on time, the dream had said so. Not too late…not too early.

She slowed down her pace, walking up to the castle. Knowing she had time to spare. She didn't remember entering, or walking through the halls…

She didn't feel there…and yet…she was.

Memories which didn't belong to her, flooded through her mind. She saw it all, and she didn't at the same time.

She didn't feel like Lyla anymore and yet Lyla was the one that wanted to save Harry. Maybe she was still here…somewhere…

Her senses returned to her and she found herself climbing what seemed like never ending staircase. It spiralled up, and up, her mind starting to wonder again, back into the memories. Then …

she was at a door.

She could hear voices inside the door. One sounding dazed, the other chatting away. She had heard all this before…in a nightmare…

Or was it a memory?

Then words echoed into her head, they triggered something inside her -

"- I conquer you!"

-Lyla came back, for a brief moment.

And Lyla smashed down the door.

Two very shocked faces stared back, one with a wand raised above another's head.

Without even thinking, she thrust her hands up and threw Moody against the wall. He stayed pinned there, enable to move, the shocked expression still on his face. Harry fared no better only managing to mutter,

"Lyla?"

Then three people suddenly appeared, shocked expressions staring at the scene. But one wasn't staring at the scene; he was staring at her…

"Lyla…" Dumbledore's eyes didn't have their usual spark. Instead looking grave as they took more of Lyla in.

"What have you done to yourself…"

* * *

It went black from then on. She knew she must have collapsed, she had no idea when, but she presumed it was after Dumbledore had said those words… It was also Dumbledore's words that woke her, but her mind still swirled in the depths of memories. She was afraid to speak, if she was to accidentally say something she shouldn't. She kept her eyes closed tight, laying still, in what she realised…was a bed.

"Minerva," said Dumbledore. "I want to see Hagrid in my office as soon as possible. Also – if she will consent to come – Madame Maxime."

There was the sound of footsteps, as Minerva left.

"Poppy," Dumbledore spoke again. "Would you be very kind, and go down to Professor Moody's office, where I think you will find a house-elf called Winky in considerable distress? Do what you can for her, and take her back to the kitchens. I think Dobby will look after her for us."

Poppy's footsteps left the room, but Dumbledore did not speak again until they had faded.

"And now," he said, "it is time for two of our number to recognize each other for what we are. Sirius… if you could resume your usual form."

A woman screamed and the sound of people moving was heard.

"Sirius Black!" the woman shrieked.

"Mum, shut up!" Ron yelled. "It's okay!"

"Him!" another voice snarled. "What is he doing here?"

"He is here at my invitation," said Dumbledore calmly, "as are you, Severus. I trust you both. It is time for you to lay aside your old differences, and trust each other. I will settle, in the short term for a lack of open hostility. You will shake hands. You are on the same side now. Time is short, and unless the few of us who knew the truth stand united, there is no hope for any of us."

Dumbledore paused and Lyla could only presume that both Sirius and Severus were shaking hands.

"Now," Dumbledore continued. "I have some else I would like to introduce, which some of you have met, but don't know much about…Lyla would you please sit up."

Lyla did as she was asked, sitting up and facing the crowd of people. She recognized almost everyone: Harry sitting in his own white bed, Hermione next to him, Sirius and Ron standing, the man she knew now to be Severus giving Sirius dirty looks, who would give some back and a plump woman with the same red hair as Ron, which she gathered was Ron's Mum.

Dumbledore came and sat on her own clean white bed, his blue eyes filled with sorrow.

"You shouldn't bottle things up. It only makes it worse." He said kindly.

Lyla didn't answer, she didn't know if she could. The memories were still there, raging on in the back of her mind. She pulled her knees up to her chest.

"For those of you who don't know," Dumbledore said addressing everyone else, "this is Lyla."

This is only made Lyla bury her face in her knees as every eye in the room focused on her. It felt like they were drilling holes into her head.

"What's wrong with her?" Harry voice sounded. "Lyla's never been this... shy…"

"Memories, Harry, memories which have not happened yet." Dumbledore said. "Memories that are not even hers…"

Lyla didn't care that they were talking as if she wasn't here. She didn't even want to be part of the conversation.

"How can you have memories that aren't your own?" Ron asked.

"Ah," Dumbledore said, "Lyla's a rare case. They're people who have powers beyond what a normal wizard or witch should have. Someone like Lyla won't appear for centuries, then they just pop into existent. One of the rare abilities is too be able to see into the future, much like divination, except they don't see the future as a prophecy, but as a memory. Through – you could say – someone else eyes. Usually they see it through a dream or nightmare."

"So…" Harry began. "They see it as it happens?"

Dumbledore smiled, "Correct, Harry. They don't just get words; they got the whole thing pouring through their head's. It would be a very traumatic experience - depending on what the memory is."

"So Lyla's been having them…" Hermione said and Lyla could feel her pity looks.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, "I believe she's been having your memory, Harry, of being in the Graveyard."

Silence followed, but was broken by Harry.

"Professor, is that why she lives in the forest?" he asked.

Dumbledore nodded, "Bad things happen to those with this sort of power, who are not left by themselves. You would think it would be the opposite and that they would need to be surrounded by people who are kind. But it is solitude that helps more…But like all people, they do need company every now and again. They would go mad left to themselves too long."

"That's not the only reason," Hermione said, "Right Professor?"

Dumbledore's eyes scanned over Hermione, "Yes, there is another reason, but I think that will be for another time." He turned to Lyla, who was peeping over her knees. "You are to return to the forest as usual. We meet as usual…I expect you to be there," His eyes looked over his glasses, "seeing as you missed the times this year, will have to meet more often."

Lyla shank underneath his gaze, a naughty child caught in the act.

"For now," Dumbledore said still speaking to Lyla, "Rest."

* * *

She spent a couple of days in the Hospital Wing. After having A Madam Pomfrey fussy over , making her having a good soak, before she went. Her and Dumbledore had ended up having a little talk, and now, having Dumbledore help her with her memories - she already good feel herself becoming herself again.

So now, she stood at the edge of the forest looking into its depths… She wished she didn't have to go back.

"Lyla!" Harry shouted behind her, panting, as he ran up to her, Hermione and Ron not far behind.

"I thought Madam Pomfrey wasn't going to let you out, for a while," She said smiling, her usual self returning.

But they weren't listening, they were all staring at her amazed.

"I didn't know you had blonde hair?" Ron said.

Lyla hadn't really know either, after being so dirty and never being able to take a proper bath, she had forgotten what she used to look like. Her hair was no longer matted and wild, but thin and silky, coming to rest on her shoulders, bouncing slightly in the wind. Her face, free from all mud and grime, showed her delicate features, ending in a slightly flat chin. Her body was curvy and thin, but with well tones muscles, from all that climbing. Her skin was also a very pale colour.

"Your eyes…" Harry said gazing into them. "I've seen them before…"

"You're probably have." Lyla said smiling, then started walking into the forest, eventually disappearing from their sights.

They watched her go and then Hermione asked, "What do you mean you've seen them before?"

"I saw them in the Graveyard…" Harry said.

"Lyla wasn't there was she?" Ron asked.

"No…" Harry said still staring off into the forest.

"But Voldemort was…"

* * *

**Took me a while trying to get this chapter right. **

**Hopefully you guys had questions answered in this one... It will be a while until the rest is answered.**

**Please review and tell me what you think.**


	7. Not Agreeing

**Right, thank you lovely readers! Those reviews and favorites make my day!**

**Now...Story...**

* * *

After a year, Lyla, felt like herself again. The troubles the year before gone…

almost…

She still suffered from the memories, but now she could cope with them. Thanks to Dumbledore. Her nights now, were much more peaceful, now she knew how to control the memories. It was because of the memories she was in this part of the Forbidden Forest…

She knew she had to been here, because she knew who was coming to this part of the forest...

Then she saw them…

Harry and Hermione were leading the way, both with visible cuts and bruises, soaked with blood. "Well we can't do anything without wands," said Hermione, both of them heading back to the castle. "Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?"

"Yeah, we were just wondering that," Ron said appearing from the depths of the forest. Three other people close behind.

One was a dreamy white haired girl, another one Lyla had seen before except plumper and the last had the same bright red hair as Ron. They all looked the worse for wear: bruises, cuts, scratches on the red head girl's face and Ron's lips were bleeding. But they all did look rather proud of themselves.

"So," Ron said, handing Harry his wand back, "had any ideas?"

"How did you get away?" Harry asked amazed.

"Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment Jinx," Ron said handing Hermione her wand. "But Ginny was best, she got Malfoy - Bat Bogey Hex - it was superb, his whole face was covered in the great flapping things. Anyway, we saw you out of the window heading into the Forest and followed. What've you done with Umbridge?"

"She got carried away," Harry said. "By a herd of centaurs."

"And they left you behind?" asked Ginny, looking astonished.

"No, they got chased off by Grawp," Harry said.

"Who's Grawp?" Luna asked.

"Hagrid's little brother," Ron said. "Anyway, never mind that now. Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You- Know-Who got Sirius- ?

"Yes he has," Lyla said appearing right next to Ron.

"What the!?" Ron said, jumping back in surprise. He wasn't the only one, everybody else did as well…except the white haired dreamy girl…

Harry acted as if Lyla had walked in normally. "Oh hi Lyla, this is Neville, Ginny and Luna." Harry said introducing each person.

Lyla smiled. Luna saying hello back.

Hermione was looking at Lyla closely. "Still got blonde hair then?" She said.

Lyla swished her blonde, silky hair. "I blame Dumbledore. He's been making sure my hygiene is up to standards…not that I agree with him…"

"Now," Lyla said changing the subject, "Luna I think you have something to say?"

Luna's dreamy expression didn't present that she had actually heard Lyla. "We'll have to fly," she said.

"Fly where?" Ron asked confused.

"To get Sirius silly," Luna said, talking, as if to a naughty child.

"Okay," Harry agreed irritably, rounding on Luna. "First of all 'we' aren't doing anything if you including yourself in that, and second of all, Ron's the only one with a broomstick that isn't being guarded by a security troll, so- "

"I've got a broom!" Ginny said.

"Yeah, but you're not coming," Ron said angrily.

"Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!" Ginny said, her anger flaring.

"You're too- " Harry began, but Ginny said fiercely, "I'm three years older than you were when you fought You-Know-Who over the Philosopher's Stone, and it's because of me Malfoy's stuck back in Umbridge's office with giant flying bogies attacking him – "

"Yeah, but –"

"We were all in the DA together," said Neville quietly. "It was all supposed to be fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real – or was that just a game or something?"

"No – of course it wasn't – "Harry said impatiently.

"Then we should come too," Neville said simply, "We want to help."

"That's right," said Luna, smiling happily.

"You're not getting rid of me, Potter boy," Lyla said, smirking, knowing Harry had to take them with him.

"Well, it doesn't matter, anyway," Harry said frustrated, "because we still don't know how to get there – "

"I thought we settled that," Luna said maddeningly. "We're flying!"

"Look," Ron said, barely containing his anger, "you might be able to fly without a broomstick but the rest of us can't sprout wings whenever we – "

"There are other ways of flying than with a broomstick," Luna said serenely.

"I s'pose we're going to ride the back of the Knaky Snorgle or whatever it is?" Ron demanded.

"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly," Luna said in a dignified voice, "but they can, and Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for."

Lyla turned round to look, and sure enough, two Thestrals stood. They watched there hushed conversation with hungry gleaming eyes, their skeleton thin, black bodies hiding behind the trees.

"Yes!" whispered Harry walking towards them and stroking one gently.

"Is it those mad horse things?" said Ron uncertainly, staring off a bit to the left to where the Thestral actually was. "Those ones you can't see unless you've watched someone snuff it?"

"Yeah," Harry said.

"How many?"

"Just two."

"Well, we need three," said Hermione, looking slightly shaken, but determined nether less.

"Four, Hermione," Ginny said scowling.

"I think there are seven of us actually," Luna said calmly counting.

"Don't be stupid, we can't all go!" Harry said angrily. "Look you four –"he pointed at Luna, Ginny, Neville and Lyla, "you're not involved in this, you're not-"

"When was I _ever _not part of this?" Lyla demanded glaring at Harry.

Harry had the sanity to shrink back.

"You have clearly forgotten," Lyla said, "what we have done together."

Harry opened his mouth about to protest, but Lyla cut him off.

"Have you not forgotten last year? I saved your life." Lyla marched up to him, finger pointing at his neck. "Never…ever… forget that." She stepped back gesturing to everyone else. "Now, you will let them all come with you. You will need the help. Got it?"

Harry nodded his eyes still trained on Lyla's.

"We need more Thestrals," he said.

"Don't worry, more will come," Ginny said confidently, who was squinting in the wrong direction as Ron, obviously thinking the Thestrals were there.

"What makes you think that?"

"Because, in case you hadn't noticed, you and Hermione are both covered in blood," she said coolly, "and we know Hagrid lures Thestrals with raw meat. That's probably why these two turned up in the first place."

A Thestral was right next to Harry, licking the blood off his robes.

On cue, other Thestrals appeared. There wings folded tightly against their bodies, their eyes gleaming through the darkness.

"All right," Harry said still most likely not happy with everyone coming, "pick one and get on, then"

* * *

**Shouldn't be writing this...should actually be studying for a test...**

**...School... *sigh***

**Tell me what you think...good? or not?**

**Review!**


	8. The Ministry of Magic

Lyla quickly and professionally climbed onto the Thestral, hooking her legs underneath the wing joints for better grip. She looked to the others to see, Harry and Luna both on their Thestrals, while Neville was having a bit of trouble trying to hook his leg over the Thestral, having gotten as far as lying down flat on its back. But Ron, Hermione and Ginny…hadn't moved a muscle. Instead staring at the others, mouths a gape.

"What?" Harry said, noticing their expressions.

"How're we supposed to get on?" said Ron faintly. "When we can't see the things?"

"Oh, it's easy," Luna said sliding off her Thestral and heading to him, Ginny and Hermione. "Come here…"

She guided each in turn, getting them on their own Thestrals, then got on her own. They all looked extremely nervous having not been able see what they were actually riding on. Lyla thought she would be nervous too.

"This is mad," Ron mumbled, moving his free hand up and down the horse's mane. "Mad…if I could just see it…"

"You better hope it stays invisible," said Harry darkly. "We all ready, then?"

Everybody nodded, all tightening their knees against the Thestrals.

Lyla watched Harry look down at his Thestral, nervously saying,

"Ministry of Magic, visitors entrance, London, then…Er…if you know…where to go…"

There was a brief pause as nothing happened, then the great black creature extended it bat-like wings and took a running leap into the orange lit sky.

Lyla laughed, as Hermione screamed. The joy of the wind rushing past her: pulling at her hair and sending goose bumps running up and down her arms and legs, a chill descending as they rose higher. The Thestral's wings moving effortlessly through the air, beating up and down…Lyla was reminded of flying on Buckbeak, the same joy running through as then. She looked over to everyone else. Luna looked just as comfortable as Lyla, even managing to look bored as if she did it every day. Neville didn't know whether to be scared or to be determined; he seemed to dip in and out of the two. Ron was still looked freaked out to be riding on technically nothingness and Hermione looked worse. Harry seemed to be concentrating on some else, his eyebrows frowned, a scared expression filling his face. Lyla knew he feared they would be too late.

Hours seemed to go by and Lyla's legs became stiff, gripping tightly against the Thestral, her fingers were numb and cold. The wind, that had been welcoming, was known the least thing Lyla wanted. It seemed to nib at her, sending chills down her body. Lyla squinted into the darkness, trying to see any inclination as to where they might be. Then she saw a dim orange glow, which gradually got bigger and Lyla knew it would be long until it fill their sights.

Then suddenly, the Thestrals dived down, the wind rushing in to their faces, getting faster and faster. If anybody was screaming, Lyla couldn't hear them.

The lights were now getting larger on all sides, but shrunk into individual lights, like a balloon slowly having its air taking out. And through those lights, the shadows of tall majestic buildings swamped their view, getting more detail as they dropped lower. Headlights appeared drenching the streets, people going their own ways. As Lyla squinted more, it suddenly looked like they were going to hit the pavement. But the Thestral only landed lightly, skimming the ground before halting to a stop.

Lyla slid off, knowing this was a experience she was never going to forget...and probably never go though again.

She watched the others toppled and fall off their own steads, trying to regain their balance. Only Luna seeming in her element. But none as uncoordinated as Ron.

"Never again," he said, struggling to his feet, having practicably fallen off. "Never, ever again...that was the worst-"

Luna interpreted him asking Harry a question, "Where do we go from here, then?" she said polity.

"Over here," Harry said. Giving his Thestral a grateful pat.

They followed him to an old, dull red phone box. Harry opened the door, stepping inside. Lyla stepped in after, wondering if there was enough room for them all. Everybody else piled in after, the room becoming squishy and crowed as bodies merged together.

"Whoever's closest to the receiver, dial six two four four two!" Harry said.

Ron did it, reaching over, bending his arm an awkward angle. When Ron had finished a cool female voice filled the space.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

Harry said as very quickly as possible, "Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and Lyla... we're here to save someone, unless your Ministry can do it first!"

"Thank you," the female voice said, "Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes."

Seven badges tumbled out of a small chute where returned coins normally appear. Hermione mutely scooped them up, before passing them to Harry. Lyla could just see what was written on the top one, _Harry Potter, Rescue Mission_.

"Visitors to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wands for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."

What if you don't have a wand? Lyla wondered to herself.

"Fine!" Harry said rather loudly, sounding slightly in pain. "Now can we _move?"_

Slowly, they descended into the depths of the Ministry. Darkness rose, and before long they could not see a thing, drenched in the darkness. Then, a soft glow of light appeared below them, rising, until the whole carriage stopped.

"The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant evening." the woman said, as they the doors opened, letting them out.

What Lyla presumed was usually bustling with people, doing this and that, right now was eerily silent. It was just them walking out into a very dormant room. A room, big enough to fit hundreds of people. Right now, it seemed infinity larger.

"Come on!" Harry said sprinting off into a direction. They all followed in pursuit.

Harry lead the way, passing a giant fountain, nothing like anything Lyla had seen. If they weren't running for a rescue mission, she would of stopped to gaze at each individual statue, posed on it. Probably spending hours.

Their feet, tapped against the marble floor, as they ran Harry weaving his way towards lifts. They rushed in, Harry pressing a button, and the lift gave a jolt before moving in its set direction.

It wasn't long before the lift stopped, another female voice saying, "Department of Mysterious."

Lyla could sense everyone's agitation, and relief as the doors opened. What Lyla was wondering was where the security were?

They stepped out into a long corridor, Harry turning to look at a black door, gazing at it in amazement. It was on the far end of corridor. Lyla presumed that was where they were going.

"Let's go," Harry whispered, wondering down the corridor. Everybody taking in the details of the blazing torches, lighting their way.

Harry suddenly stopped six feet from the door.

"Okay, listen." Harry said. "Maybe...maybe a couple of people should stay here as a-as a look out and-"

"And how're we going to let you know something's coming?" Ginny said, eyebrows raised. "You could be miles away."

"As if we don't know what your playing at," Lyla said sighing.

"We're coming with you Harry," Nevile said.

"Let's get on with it," Ron said firmly.

Harry looked at them, showing his worry for taking them with him. Then, accepting, he opened the door...

* * *

**I know, it's a cliffhanger, but I didn't want to drive this chapter too long and it seemed right anyway.  
**

**Okay, I've had no internet for three months, so I couldn't update****.  
**

**Because I'm on summer holidays, I will be updating more often. More time now, with school out of the way.  
**

**So tell me what you think about this chapter?  
**


	9. The Prophecy

They walked quietly, with nerves spiking their being. The room they found themselves, had great black doors matching the one they just came through. They encircled them as soon as they walked out, dozens of doors surrounding them. The room itself was black, the marble floor, the ceiling. The only light was flickering blue flames casting their light into the dimness they were in. If Lyla hadn't spent her life inside a dark forest, she may find herself fearful of the room.

"Someone shut the door." Harry said still leading the party.

Neville obliged, only to make everything darker, harder to see.

Lyla looked to Harry, for the next order. He himself was gazing to over to a particular set of doors.

Suddenly the room gave a small shudder, only to be followed by the room moving in one direction. The walls were rotating.

It was blurred for a few seconds, until it slowly stopped.

"What was that all about?" whispered Ron, fearfully.

"I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in through," Ginny said in a hushed voice.

Lyla knew she was right. She couldn't tell at all what door they had come through.

"How're we going to get back?" said Neville uncomfortably.

"Well, that doesn't matter now," Harry said, "we won't need to get out till we've found Sirius-"

"Don't go calling for him, through!" said Hermione, reminding him.

"Where do we go, then, Harry?" Ron asked.

"I don't-" Harry began, and then stopped. Swallowing nervously. "In the dreams I went through the door at the end of the corridor from the lifts into a dark room-that's this one-and then I went through another door into a room that kind of glitters. We should try a few doors. I'll know the right way when I see it. C'mon."

He bravely stepped forward to the first door, opening it and going inside.

The fist thing Lyla noticed, when she stepped in, was that there were no glittering lights.

Instead, lamps hung low, imuliating the place, the narrow corridor they seemed to have come by. It was still dark, but nothing like the room before. There were a few desks scattered around the edges and a glass tank, filled with green liquid, which could harbour them all. Inside, pearl-white objects floated lazily.

"What're those things?" whispered Ron.

"Dunno," said Harry.

"Are they fish?" Breathed Ginny

"Aquavirius Maggots!" said Luna excitedly. "Dad said the Ministry were breeding-"

"No," Hermione said. She sounded odd, and as Lyla creped closer to the tank, looking at the objects, she could see why.

"There brains." Hermione finished.

"_Brains?"_

"Yes…I wonder what they're doing with them?"

"Let's get out of here," said Harry. "This isn't right, we need to try another door."

"There are doors here, too." Pointed out Ron.

"In my dream I went through that dark room into the second one," Harry said. "I think we should go back and try from there."

They hurried back to the circular room, going back into its darkness.

"Wait!" Hermione said sharply, as Luna made to close the door of the brain room behind them. "_Flagrate!"_

She drew with her wand in midair and a fiery 'X' appeared on the door. As soon as the door closed, the room began its's impossible fast rotation again, but this time, a golden, red blur was added to blue. When it stopped, the door still had the 'X' stamped on, burning brightly.

"Good thinking," Harry said, "Okay, let's try this one."

Harry opened another door, stepping inside.

As Lyla came out, the first thing to catch her eye, was an ancient stone arch, in the middle of the circular room. It was so old, Lyla, couldn't believe it was still standing. She kept thinking it was going to crumble to pieces any second.

"Who's there?" Harry called out, to no one in particular.

"Careful!" Hermione whispered.

Harry continued to walk towards the archway, Lyla slowly followed.

As she got closer, she could her faint, whispers coming from the archway, sounding like voices?

"Sirius?" Harry said, looking closely at the archway, seeing to take in every detail.

""Let's go," called Hermione, a little bit further away from them. "This isn't right, Harry, come on, let's go."

She sounded scared and Harry continued to ignore her.

"Harry, let's go, okay?" Hermione said more forcefully, trying to grab his attention.

"What are you saying?" Harry said, loudly to the archway. It was then Lyla realised he could hear the voices too.

"Nobody's talking, Harry!" Hermione said, now moving towards him.

"Yes there is." Lyla said.

Hermione just looked disbelieving at her.

"I can hear it too…" Luna said, coming to look at the archway. "There are people _in there!_"

"What do you mean _in there_?" Hermione demanded. Sounding madder than necessary. "There isn't anybody '_in there_', it's just an archway, there's no room for anyone to be there. Harry, stop it, come away-"

She tried to grab his arm and pull away.

"Harry, we are supposed to be here for Sirius!" She said in a high-pitched voice.

"Sirius…yeah…" Harry said, seeming mesmerised by the archway.

Lyla, realised she couldn't look away from the arch. It was strange, but she had this…nagging feeling in the back of her mind. It was just there, like an unreachable itch.

"Let's go." Harry said. He had come out of his spell.

"That's what I've been trying to- well, come on, then!" Hermione said. It was then that Lyla felt, someone grab her hand.

"Lyla, we have to go. We have to save Sirius?" It was Harry's voice and broke her own invisible spell. The nagging itch went with it.

She turned round just to see, Neville and Ginny in the same states. Hermione and Ron grabbed their hands dragging them away from the arch. They all went back through the door to the dark circular room.

"What d'you reckon the arch was?" Harry asked Hermione.

"I don't know, but whatever it was, it was dangerous," she said firmly, inscribing another 'X' on the door they had come through.

Once more the room, spun around them, until it slowly came to a halt.

Harry once, again pushed open a door.

"This is it!" he said, everybody else piling inside.

Lyla could see why, he said 'glittering'. For the light dazzled her, as she stepped through and, as her eyes adjusted, she could see the source was thousands and thousands of crystal balls. Each stacked on shelves that seemed to reach higher then the ceiling. She just stared mesmerised.

"You said it was row ninety-seven," Hermione whispered, looking at the rows.

Looking closely at the shelves, she could se they were numbered.

"Yeah…" Harry said, peering as well.

"We need to go right, I think," Hermione whispered. "Yes…that's fifty-three."

"Keep you wands ready," Harry said softly, to the others.

They walked on, counting the rows. Lyla didn't need to. She recognised the place now. It was another dream she had.

They were getting close.

"Ninety-seven!" Hermione whispered.

They stopped, Harry looking slightly ill.

"He's right down at the end," Harry said. "You can't see properly from here."

He led them between, the high shelves, some of the globes glowing as they passed.

"He should be near here," Harry whispered, convinced. "Anywhere here…really close…"

"Harry…" Hermione said quietly.

"Somewhere about…here…" he said.

They had come to the end of the row. Sirius wasn't in sight.

"He might be…" Harry said, scanning the area. "Or maybe…"

"Harry?" Hermione said again.

"What?" He said sharply.

"I…I don't think Sirius is here…"

Nobody spoke. Lyla could see Harry's face. It showed a mixture of emotions, torn between believing and not.

"Harry?" Ron spoke up.

"What?" Harry said, clearly not really interested.

"Have you seen this?" Ron said.

Lyla didn't need to look to know what it was.

"What?" Harry repeated. Ron was staring at one of the globes.

"It's-it's got your name on," Ron said.

Harry moved closer, looking at the globe in question.

"My name?" he said.

Lyla could picture what Harry was seeing, on the dull yellow label, right next to that globe.

S.P.T to A.P.W.B.D

Dark Lord

And (?) Harry Potter

"What is it?" Ron said sounding unnerved. "What's your name doing here?"

"I'm not here." Harry said, not quite knowing how to take the situation, looking at the other globes. "None of the rest of them have us on- Hang on. You're here Lyla."

That whipped her head around she didn't remember this being in the memory.

She came up to him, peering at the one he was pointing to.

J.A.F to A.P.W.B.D

Lyla

It just had her name…no surname. The only thing it told her was it was hers.

"Harry I don't think you should touch it," Hermione said, sharply. Lyla looked to see, Harry, reaching for his.

"Why not?" He questioned. "It has something to do with me, isn't it?"

"You shouldn't Harry." Lyla said.

"Don't, Harry." Neville said suddenly, looking petrified.

"It's got my name on it." Harry said firmly, and went and took the globe off the shelf.

Nothing happened. It just sat in his hands.

"Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."

The voice appeared behind them.

It was Lucius Malfoy.

* * *

**Sorry for the wait guys. I had writers block.**

**I spent most of my time just staring at the page…**

**I'm going on holiday soon…so I won't be updating for a while.**

**Anything you have to say?**

**Post it in a review. **


	10. Sirius

Figures appeared around them, blocking their path. They wore hoods, covering up their features, their wands point straight at them. They were trapped.

"To me, Potter," repeated the drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy, his hand held out, palm up.

Harry just stared at the man. Lyla could see his face become downcast as the certainty of the situation settled on him.

It wasn't like Lyla didn't feel the same. She just had the knowledge it was coming.

"To me," Malfoy repeated.

"Where's Sirius?" said Harry

The surrounding figures laughed. One of them shouting triumphantly:

"The Dark Lord always knows!"

"Always," Malfoy echoed softly. "Now, give me the prophecy, Potter."

"I want to know where Sirius is!"

"_I want to know where Sirius is!_" The woman to his left mimicked.

The Death Eaters slowly closed in. Escape routes becoming less seize able.

"You got him," Harry persisted. "He's here. I know he is."

"_The little baby woke up fwightened and fort what it dweamed was two."_ The woman said in a horrible, mock baby voice.

"Don't do anything." Harry muttered quietly to the others. "Not yet-"

The woman then let out a terrible scream of laughter.

"You hear him?" she said. "_You hear him?_ Giving instructions to the other children as through he thinks of fighting us!"

"Oh, you don't know Potter as I do, Bellatrix," Malfoy said. "He has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. _Now give me the prophecy, Potter."_

" I know Sirius is here," Harry said, mustering up his courage. "I know you've got him!"

The Death Eaters laughed, Bellatrix loudest of all.

"It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter," Malfoy said. "Now give me the prophecy, or we start using wands."

"Go on, then," Harry said, his wand rising. The other followed suit, lifting their wands, Lyla's fists clenched.

The Death Eaters made no move to retaliate.

"Hand over the prophecy and no one need get hurt," Malfoy said coolly.

Harry just laughed. "Yeah right! I give you this-prophecy, is it? And you'll just let us skip home, will you?"

The words hardly left his mouth when Bellatrix shrieked: "_Accio proph-"_

Harry was ready. _"Protego!"_ he shouted.

"Oh, he knows how to play, little baby Potter," she said mad eyes staring at him in slight annoyance, through the slits of her hood. "Very well, then-"

"I TOLD YOU, NO!" Malfoy roared at the woman. "If you smash it-!"

Bellatrix stepped forward leaving the ring of Death Eaters, her hood lowered. Madness had entirely consumed Bellatirx, her hair wild and tangled, her face hollow, the only emotion passing through was the madness that haunted her eyes, making them age by a years. Yet someone could never look so in their element.

"You need more persuasion?" she said and Lyla could see the gleam at the prospect. "Very well – take the smallest one," she ordered the Death Eater beside her. "Let him watch while we torture the little girl. I'll do it."

The tiny group instantly surrounded Ginny, their bodies pressed together so tightly, Lyla thought she could hear their rapid heartbeats. Harry stepped in front of Bellatrix stopping her.

"You'll have to smash this if you want to attack any of us," he told Bellatrix. "I don't think your boss will be too pleased if you come back without it, will he?"

She didn't move, instead stared directly at him, seeming to way her options out.

"So," Harry said, "what kind of prophecy are we talking about, anyway?"

"What kind of prophecy?" Bellatrix repeated. "You jest, Harry Potter."

"Nope, not jesting" Harry said. "How come Voldemort wants it?"

Low hisses were heard from the surrounding Death Eaters.

"You dare speak his name?" Bellatrix whispered.

"Yeah." Harry said, confidence returning to him. "Yeah, I've got no problem with saying Vol-"

"Shut your mouth!" shrieked Bellatrix. "You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue, you dare-"

"Did you know he's a half-blood too?" Harry said, in Lyla's opinion, recklessly. "Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was witch but his dad was a muggle-or has he been telling you lot he's pure-blood?"

_"STUPEF-"_

"NO!"

Jet of fiery red light, shot out of Bellatrix's wand, only for Malfoy to deflect it. The spell hit the shelves, shattering one or two glass orbs.

Two figures unfurled themselves from the shattered orbs. Both were pearly white as any ghost, like smoke floating through the air. Fragments of what they said could just be heard above Malfoy and Bellatrix's shouts.

"…_at the solstice will come a new…_" the figure of an old man said.

"DO NOT ATTACK WE NEED THE PROPHECY!"

"He dared- he dares-" Bellatrix shrieked, "he stands there-filthy half-blood-"

"WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!"

"…_and none will come after_…" the figure of the young woman said.

The two figures became nothing but wisps of smoke, melting in the air. They were gone. The only thing remaining was the fragments of glass littering the floor, of what was once their home.

"You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy I'm supposed to be handing over." Harry said.

"Do not play games with me, Potter," Malfoy said.

"I'm not playing games," Harry said.

"Dumbledore never told you the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?" Malfoy sneered.

"I-what?" Harry said, surprised. "What about my scar?"

"Can this be?" Malfoy laughed, the other Death Eaters joining in. "Dumbledore never told you?" repeated Malfoy. "Well, this explains why you didn't come earlier, Potter, the Dark Lord wondered why you didn't come running when he showed you the place where it is hidden in your dreams. He thought natural curiosity would make you want to hear the exact wording…"

"Did he?" Harry said. "So he wanted me to come and get it, did he? Why?"

Hermiones whispered voice entered Lyla's ears, making Lyla strain to hear the exact words.

"Smash shelves, when Harry says _now_…"

Lyla nudged Hermione with her foot, telling her she had heard, then passing the message onto Luna.

"_Why?_" Malfoy said, sound very delighted at Harry's naïve. "Because he only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, Potter, are those about whom it was made, as the Dark Lord discovered when he attempted to use others to steal for him."

"And why did he want to steal a prophecy about me?"

"About both of you, Potter, about both of you…haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby?"

"Someone made a prophecy about Voldemort and me? And he's made me come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?"

"Get it himself?" Bellatrix said, over cackling laughter. "The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return? The Dark Lord, reveal himself to the Aurors, when at the moment they are wasting their time on my dear cousin?"

"So, he's got you doing his dirty work for him, had he? Like he tried to get Sturgis to steal it- and Bode?" Harry said.

"Very good, Potter, very good…" Malfoy said carefully. "But the Dark Lord knows you are not unintell-"

"NOW!" Harry shouted.

Five different voices shouted "REDUCTO!" Five different spells crashed into the shelves, causing orbs to be chucked off colliding with other orbs. Lyla coped, shouting the same word, moments after the rest. Her spell exploded one of the shelves, sending glass remnants to the Death Eaters below.

"RUN!" Harry bellowed.

So she ran.

She turned on her heel and pelted down the many shelves, heading to where she knew the door would be. She could hear footsteps and panting breaths behind her, signalling the others running.

The door appeared ahead of her, she ran faster, eventually reaching the door and thrusting it open and almost falling through it.

"_Colloportus!"_ Hermione gasped, the door sealing itself.

"Where-where are the others?" Harry panted.

He was right. Luna, Ron and Ginny hadn't come through.

"They must have gone the wrong way!" Hermione whispered.

Lyla could see the terror in her face.

"Listen!" Neville whispered.

Footsteps and shouts could be heard on the other side, they put their ears against the door to hear better.

Lucius Malfoy's bellowing voice could be heard. "Leave Nott, _leave him, I say_ – his injuries will be nothing to the Dark Lord compared to losing that prophecy. Jugson, come back here, we need to organise! We'll split into pairs and search, and don't forget, be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophecy, you can kill the others if necessary-Bellatrix, Rodolphus, you take the left; Crabbe, Rabastan, go right- Jugson, Dolohov, the door straight ahead- Macnair and Avery, through here –Rookwood, over there –Malciber, come with me!"

"What do we do?" Hermione asked Harry, trembling.

"Well, we don't stand here waiting for them to find us, for a start," Harry said. "Let's get away from this door."

Lyla watched them ran through another door. It hadn't occurred to them she wasn't following.

She made her way through another door, closing it firmly and using the same spell Hermione had to close the other. She didn't want those Death Eaters following.

The reason why Lyla didn't follow was quite simple.

She didn't want to be _there_.

_There,_ when Sirius would fall through the veil, after being killed by Bellatrix. She feared the guilt that would happen. The guilt of knowing _it was going to happen._

What was she meant to do?

Her whole being screamed at her to not sit around doing nothing, to help the others. It wasn't her to just stand aside and let someone else do her job. No. They were her friends she had to do something. And yet the price could be ever so high…

She knew exactly what happened, the dream imprinting its self at the back of her head, ever reminding, telling her what will be.

But does it have to be?

Does Sirius have to die, just because a dream said so?

She started wishing Dumbledore were here. He would know what to do.

Opening her eyes, Lyla, took in her surroundings.

The room was huge, never ending, so in fact she couldn't see the end, just a huge blackness that engulfed everything. Yet, it didn't feel empty, but very full.

A phoenix also stood before her.

Lyla had met a phoenix before, he went by the name Fawkes. She saw him sometimes, when Dumbledore came to visit her. Fawkes had always had a subtle nature that seemed to latch on to anyone surrounding him.

But this phoenix was different.

It's plumage rippled, as if it was really on fire. It eyes were the brightest blue she had ever seen, sparkling up at her with a curiosity she had never known. It steadily walked towards her, unsure as how to react to her.

Lyla smiled down at it.

"Its alright, I won't bite." She said offering her hand.

The phoenix hesitantly looked at her hand-

-then it just let out a song that brought soft, mellow music to Lyla ears. It flew up into the blackness, becoming a small beacon of light. Lyla could only watch it, until it melted into the darkness.

Really it was all pretty strange.

Voices suddenly penetrated inside her head. She clutched it in agony, closing her eyes trying to escape their wrath. In her predicament she forced open the door, she came through, appearing on the other side.

Again she found herself in the blue lit room with the many doors. They started to spin again. This just added to her pain: feeling dizziness making fall to the ground still clutching her head.

Why won't it go away?

She painfully rose up, going through one of the doors not caring where she went. Another voice not inside her head was heard. She felt something touch her and she lashed out, trying to remove it.

"Dat hurd." A voice said.

The pain seemed to subside and she opened her eyes to find Neville kneeling down next to her. His nose looked broken, blood oozing out.

"Dis way." He said heaving Lyla up. "'Arry god Dead Eaders do chase afder hib. Everybody else is oud. We god do help."

Lyla slowly regain control of her mind, taking in what Neville was saying. Eventually Lyla was back on her own two feet.

"Cobe on." Neville said, encouragingly. "Dis way."

She followed Neville not saying a word. They went through another door, only to find themselves back at the archway.

She could see Death Eaters surrounding Harry. Harry's hand white from clutching the prophecy.

"You see, there are ten of us and only one of you…or hasn't Dumbledore ever taught you how to count?" Lucius Malfoy sneered at Harry.

"He's dot alone!" Neville shouted running towards them, Lyla keeping pace. "He's still god us!"

"Neville, Lyla-no-go back to Ron-" Harry said desperately.

Before Lyla could react, a Death Eater had grabbed her, holding her tightly against him. Her struggling was futile.

"_STUBEFY_!" Neville shouted, his wand pointed right at the Death Eaters. "_STUBEFY_! _STUBE_-"

Neville ended up the same fate as Lyla. He struggled and kicked, the Death Eaters only laughing.

"It's Longbottom, isn't it?" Lucius Malfoy said. " Well, your grandmother is used to losing family members to our cause…your death will not come as a great shock. And who are you, girl?"

Lyla didn't say anything.

"Quiet one…are we?" Malfoy sneered.

"Longbottom?" Bellatrix repeated, an evil smile lit her hallow face. "Why, I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy."

"I DOE YOU HAB!" Neville roared. He fought harder against his captor. The Death Eater holding him shouted, "Someone Stun him!"

"No, no, no." Bellatrix said, glancing between Harry and Neville, in sheer excitement. "No, let's see how long Longbottom lasts before he cracks like his parents…unless Potter wants to give us the prophecy."

Instantly, Neville started shouting.

"DON'D GIB ID DO DEM! DON'D GIB ID DO DEM, HARRY!"

Bellatrix raised her wand. "_Crucio!"_

Neville screams filled the air. The Death Eater holding him, let go, so he was on the floor writhing and twitching in agony.

"That was just a taster!' Bellatrix said as she released Neville from the curse.

Lyla felt her self freeze up. She stared at Neville's curled up form. Something clicked inside her. Her hands started to burn.

"Now, Potter." Bellatrix said, "Either give us the prophecy, or watch your little friend die the hard way!" She then turned to face Lyla, licking her lips. "Then I might start on the girl."

Lyla could see Harry's defeat looking face; she could hear also the Death Eater holding her, cry out in pain.

"MY HANDS!" he cried out, letting her go.

They were scorched and burned, pulsing with blisters.

A door flew open.

And out came the Order of the Phoenix surprising the Death Eaters.

Spells rained down on the Death Eaters, whom, were trying to retaliate, sending their own spells. Lyla dived to the floor, just as a spell narrowly missed her. She crawled across the floor, towards Neville and now, Harry.

"Are you okay?" Harry yelled over the sound of explosions and yells.

"Yes," Neville said, trying to get up.

"And Ron?" Harry said. A bang was heard, followed by a yell.

"I dink he's all righd- he was fighding de brain when I lefd-"

The Stone floor beside them, exploded; leaving a small creator. They quickly scrambled away, only to have a thick arm grab Harry round the neck.

"Give it to me," the Death Eater growled. "Give me the prophecy-"

Lyla and Neville acted at the same time. While Lyla pressed her hands against his legs, burning them, Neville jabbed his wand into the Death Eaters eye.

"AARGH!" the Death Eater screamed, letting go a now, purple in the face, Harry.

Wasting no time, Harry quickly gasped, "_STUPEFY_!"

The Death Eaters mask fell to the floor, revealing Buckbeak's would be killer, Macnair. He fell down backwards, one of his eyes swollen and purple, his legs had also flared up with huge red blisters, marked as hand-prints.

"Thanks!" Harry said to Neville and Lyla.

They quickly moved away as Sirius, battling his own Death Eater, came through, their wands blurred.

Harry suddenly slipped. Lyla looked to down, to see Moody's magical eye, rolling across the floor.

They didn't need to look far, to see Moody. His head was bloody and his attacker stood over him, turning round to face them. Dolohov face was mad and twisted with glee as he bared down, now, at Harry, Lyla and Neville.

"_Tarantallegra!"_ he shouted.

Neville's legs went into a immediate tap-dancing frenzy, causing him to fall to the floor once again.

"Now, Potter-" Dolohov said.

But Harry had already shouted out his own incarnation.

"_Protego!"_

Lyla felt something streaked pass them, moved out of the way by the shield charm.

Dolohov once again raised his wand. _"Accio proph-"_

Sirius came out of nowhere, ramming Dolohov with his shoulder. Both ended up dueling the other.

At the same time, Lyla found herself running.

She didn't want to be here. It was too close.

A jet of green light streaked right pass her nose, making her halt in her tracks. She looked to see Rookwood, poised, reading another spell-

Lyla thrust her hands in his direction shouting:

"_STUPEFY!"_

Her spell hit him squarely in the chest, sending him backwards in surprise.

Kingsley appeared, grabbing Lyla roughly by the shirt, pulling her out of harms way, just as Rookwood got back onto his feet.

Lyla, once again, found herself on the floor. She crawled away from the now battling Kingsley and Rookwood, away, as far away as she could. She couldn't bear to watch. She couldn't…she couldn't…

The guilt will be too much…

Then he was there.

_Dumbledore_.

He effortlessly sent spells in any direction, catching Death Eaters in surprise. She could hear them shouting, telling each other _he was here_. Lyla scrambled, getting up, it was getting close, she had to-

Lyla stared as she watched Sirius fall through the veil, his eyes showing their surprise. He didn't reappear from the other side.

It hit her, like a bullet to the chest. He was gone, because she was a cowered.

A cowered that feared the future, of what might happen if events don't fall to what they should be.

She started to cry.

* * *

**Hopefully this extremely long chapter makes up for the absence of any chapter at all…**

**Lucky for you guys I've already written most of the next chapter and a couple of chapters after that. So you can count on it to be quick updating.**

**So review! And just tell me what think about the story so far?**


	11. The Pensieve

Lyla didn't really remember the rest of the fight. Yes, she remembered glimpses of Harry running after Bellatrix, and Dumbledore going after him. But…it was more of a haze…

A haze made up of her own guilt.

She lay awake in the hospital wing, her eyes glued to the ceiling above. She felt like she was drowning.

"Lyla…" Hermione said, her voice very small.

For some reason, she didn't want to hear what Hermione said next.

"Did you…did you know about…Sirius?"

Ah, that was the reason.

"Yes…" Lyla said, right now, she didn't want to be here.

"Oh…"

She knew the others were listening in, except Harry, who wasn't here. He was at Dumbledore's office, soaking in his own sorrows.

"I'm okay with it, you know."

"Sorry?" Hermione said, confused as to Lyla's words.

Lyla tuned over in her white, pure bed facing the others who were all already sitting up. They were all cut up, with bruises and scars; Ginny with her, almost fixed, ankle, Ron still having long winding scars across his body where the brain, tentacle organism had attacked him. They were all worse for wear.

"Okay if you get angry with me. I would be to." Lyla said.

"We're not angry with you…" Hermione said. "Harry…might be for a while, but he'll understand, eventually. Dumbledore told us a bit more about how the dreams work. We know you can never change what you see…"

"I can only imagine what it might be like," Luna said, out of the blue, "but I can say I would be pretty guilty. Seeing people everyday and knowing how their fates play out…it would feel like I was being eaten from the inside."

It was funny, Lyla thought, how precise the girl could be.

* * *

Lyla stepped into the headmasters office.

She remembered being here before, so long ago, looking in fascination at the objects and instruments around her. Back then, she had been more innocent and carefree, beginning to learn about the world.

Now…it wasn't the same.

"Ah, Lyla." Dumbledore's smiling kind face appeared at the top of the stairs. "I see Madame Pomfrey had patched you up nicely."

"I wasn't that badly hurt." Lyla murmured.

"You always think to lowly of yourself…" his smile becomes sad, as he walked down the staircase.

"Sir…" Lyla said quietly.

"Yes?"

"In the Department of Mysterious…there this room I come across…it was strange, since I felt like my head had lost of voice inside it…" Lyla said slowly, she could still feel them now.

Dumbledore looked at her, over his half-moon spectacles. "You saw a phoenix, didn't you?"

Lyla nodded.

"There are many rooms in the Department of Mysterious, some we may never know the true meaning of them. Do not dwell on these rooms, some are never meant to be solved."

Lyla could feel there something else he wished to say. Something he was keeping from her. It took all her strength to not talk back.

"Now, I suppose you are wondering why I called you to my office?"

Lyla didn't answer, only nodding slightly.

Dumbledore flicked his wand only for a cabinet to open up, revealing a basin, with silver, milky liquid swirling around.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked her.

"It's a pensieve."

"Correct." Dumbledore said, striding over to the instrument, beckoning her over. "You must understand I am showing you this because resent events have…told me this is the right time."

Lyla wrinkled her nose at his answer, knowing it wasn't a real answer, but accepting it anyway.

"Now…if you would?" Dumbledore said.

Lyla looked down into the liquid, before plunging in.

The sensation was like being pulled at various angles at the same time, feeling yourself stretch to, almost, the brink of pain.

Opening her eyes, Lyla could see she was back in the headmaster's office, the only difference being the room seemed to require less objects and more space. A younger, less white, Dumbledore sat at his desk, scribbling down on parchment.

Lyla felt the presence of the older Dumbledore appear beside her.

"We will just watch." He said. "Remember we are in a memory, everything here has already happened."

Lyla nodded.

"Come in."

The younger Dumbledore spoke the words softly and yet they still held loudness to them.

The door opened shyly, revealing a young girl, no older than twelve.

"Sorry to bother you, headmaster." She said, hurriedly.

The younger Dumbledore smiled. "That is quite alright, please do sit down." He gestured to the empty chair in front of his desk.

Lyla's eyes tracked the girl watching the girl. For the girl's, silky blonde hair, flowed gently behind her, her physic not tall, but not short. Lyla could only stare into the girl's sky blue eyes. She recognised the girl…oh, didn't she.

"What seems to be troubling you, my dear?" Dumbledore asked kindly. "You seem…off lately."

The girl shifted in her seat uncomfortable.

"My dreams…" she whispered, her eyes darted to a corner of the room, before focusing back.

Dumbledore frowned. "What about your dreams?"

But the girl's eyes had glassed over, becoming misty, as if she was blind. Her mouth opened and yet, the small shy voice before had gone, replaced by a deeper, more unnatural voice.

"_A child will be born…as the half moon rises, two nights before the Chosen One…Yet, after four summers go by, she'll be left abandoned to the fate of destiny…"_

The whites of the girl's eyes gleamed back; a creepy sensation making it's way up Lyla's spine.

"_A destiny…that has been laid years before…for the Dark Lord knows naught…only to what he suspects…For who is said to be what the Dark Lord fears the most…will take the child and send her in her destiny…For the child's true colours will be shown at the last battle between the Dark Lord and the Chosen One…The past will always be part of the future…"_

The girl eyes went back to normal, and she suddenly jumped in surprise at the sight of the younger Dumbledore.

"Sir I-I" she began, looking confused.

The younger Dumbledore sent a cheery smile. "Do not worry, my dear. I believe you should be going back to your dormitory."

The girl nodded, before rushing out the Headmasters office.

She didn't see the particular grim expression on the younger Dumbledore's face.

* * *

"Who was that girl?" Lyla asked Dumbledore, both now retreated from the memory.

"I do not think I need to tell you." Dumbledore said, his eyes baring no twinkle.

"…She was my mother? Wasn't she?"

"A lass she was." Dumbledore said gravely. "And yet do not look at her in such a darkness, it was not her fault…she was, ah, lost to us."

"But it said I was abandoned. She purposely left me-"

Dumbledore held up his hand. "One day, you will talk to her and she will tell you the true reason. But please, you must remember that she is lost to us. She is in, ah, her own world."

"Please just tell me something, I can't just know nothing, haven't I been in the dark long enough? I need to breath! I need to be shed with light!"

"I cannot tell you." Dumbledore said, sternly. "You should know that by now. But I can tell you want other parts of the prophecy meant."

"Couldn't the prophecy mention why I was left? It would of saved so much time-"

"And yet that was not it's purpose." Dumbledore said.

That made Lyla stop and think. "Purpose?"

Dumbledore smiled, "Yes, I wonder if you could work it out?"

Lyla slowly said, "The prophecy was told to you…right?"

Dumbledore nodded, a gleam in his eye.

"So it was directed to you, it was meant for you…Was it…some kind of instructions?"

The Dumbledore smiled, it seemed to be able to cover his face, without doing so.

"Yes that is the reason. It was telling me that, in the future, a child would be left abandoned and I would after look after that child somehow…But I must admit that I did not decipher it straight away, it took me many years."

Lyla nodded understanding, before a sudden thought entered her brain. It just seemed to hang around, waiting for Lyla to say it.

"Aren't they calling Harry the chosen one?" she asked.

Dumbledore smiled, finding humour where Lyla didn't.

"I suspect they will, especially with this prophecy of his…"

"Will?" Lyla said, then gave it a little bit of thought. "Oh, they have yet to do it…I'm just-anyway if they will. Then that means I was born two nights before Harry."

"Apparently so," Dumbledore said.

"It also means that my true colours will be seen in last battle between him and Voldemort."

"Ah, but we don't know what these true colours are. They could be anything for all we know." Dumbledore said.

"But…I've seen that battle, I know its coming." Lyla said, distort.

"But do you know when?"

"No…"

"So until you know, it is best you try to think positive in the situation."

"That's very lousy advice."

"You could think so? You have no idea what a little bit of positive thought can bring to a situation." His eye, once again, twinkled.

"You know something…don't you? About what is happening and will happen?"

"I can only speculate, but yes I do believe I do." He said nodding.

"How long now?" Lyla asked. She always found herself asking.

"Only so much longer…I promise." Dumbledore said.

Lyla nodded heading towards the door, only for Dumbledore to speak again.

"Please, Lyla, remember what we have talked about and don't worry too much. Like I have said before: all will be shown." Dumbledore purposely looked at her, like a parent would with a child set to cause trouble.

"I understand." She answered.

And with that she left his office.

* * *

"Um…Lyla?"

Lyla turned round, only to meet a very red in the face Neville. She was just about to exit the doors, back to the forest. She was also expecting an encounter with Harry, but she had a feeling Hermione was preventing him from seeing her.

"Yes? What is it Neville?"

Neville twiddled his thumbs nervously, looking down at the floor, his eyes darting.

He was acting…so strange.

"…When will we see you again?" he said, eventually.

Lyla knew there was another meaning to his words, yet, couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"I expect so." She said. "Why do you ask?"

His face reached a new level of redness, becoming a tomato.

"Just wanted to know…" he said, rather awkwardly.

"I'll see you then." Lyla said, the awkwardness hanging over them.

"Yeah…see ya."

With one last look at Neville, she walked out the doors.

There was definitely something strange with that boy

* * *

**Told you it will be quick.**

**Do think Lyla and Neville should be together?**

**I don't really ask questions in author notes, but...I won't to know your opinion. So, yep, placing it a review.**

**Expect the next chapter sometime soon, but I do have this History essay to do, so it might be a bit longer.**


	12. Dumbledore

Lyla sat in the clearing that she called home. A huge tree positioned behind her, harvesting her very own tree house. It melded its way through the tree, making different entries and exists to the place. It was where she spent most of her time, when she wasn't wondering the forest. It was Saturday, fourteen days since the last Saturday, he came. And like always, on this day, she waited in the clearing, for someone who is her teacher and carer…

He appears before her, wearing a sparkling blue robe, his white beard almost reaching his toes… Dumbledore.

But she cannot help notice the fact one of his hands is blackened and shriveled. It had been like that since the start of the year. He's never told her why.

But then...he didn't need to.

"Hello Lyla," he said what he always says, in the exactly same tone of sweetness. Never had he failed to say those words.

"Hello," she answers back.

He smiles.

"I've brought you some more cloths," and with a wave of his wand freshly pressed clean cloths appear out of thin air. "Now…what seems to be troubling you?"

He always knows. Ever since she was little and he use to come by more frequently, he always knew.

"…the future…"she whispers.

He answers, "The future will always be troubling, it is always natural to feel it."

"But…"Lyla begins, "I dream…of people dying…" Images of Sirius Black falling through the veil enter her mind. Even shaking her head, wouldn't send the images away. They are stuck there like a limb on a body, apart of her.

He smiles sadly, "They are your visions Lyla, but you must remember that the future can be changed. It may follow what is meant to happen, but small changes can be made, through the most tiniest of choices."

She looks deep into his eyes and sees…regret.

"How much longer must I stay in the forest for?"

She had asked this question many a times, but he had never really answered and she still persisted to ask him. It was also why she was so surprised when he actually answered…

"Only so much longer Lyla…But you must promise you will not leave until it is over, then you'll be safe." Dumbledore said.

Lyla understood and so nodded in response.

"Dumbledore?" she asked, "Why must it be Harry?"

He studies her carefully before answering. "You already know the answer."

"Yes, but-"

"You cannot help him."

She hated it when he knew what she was going to say.

"He must figure this out all himself. You already know that." Dumbledore said. "He won't be entirely alone. Miss Granger and Mr Weasley will endeavour to join him, I should think."

A twinkle escaped his eye.

"Yes, but Harry's stubborn." She counteracted.

"I do not know why we are having this argument, when you know I will not change my mind."

"I still will feel better for trying…" Lyla grumbled.

Dumbledore smiled. "It is one of your many personality traits that will always will make you much more than him."

_Him._ Lyla had had more terrible nightmares. And they weren't about the future.

"But…what if? I am…I mean…I'm just…"

"Scared?" Dumbledore said.

Lyla nodded.

"You have no need to be scared." Dumbledore said calmly. "You can never become him. You are similar, but you are very different. Fearing that future just shows your hatred for it even more. You see…sometimes our hatred shows our true fears. And our fear can show what we really hate. You are not him Lyla…always remember that."

"But will people…ever accept me?" This had been a question she had always wanted to know. One of the reasons she accepts from refraining any information regarding it.

"If you show them where your true loyalties lie…then people will eventually accept. But always expect the worse. Especially in this situation."

"Can you tell me...my mothers name." Lyla said, treading carefully.

Dumbledore's eyes meets hers head on, and yet, she can't decipher their true meaning.

"Her name was Jean Alexandria Foy." He said. "You will promise me something?"

"Yes," she said, "what?"

"Promise me, you won't go looking for her. Not until it is all over." Dumbledore said. "For she is not who you remember as."

Remember... Lyla could remember her. Holding her, talking softly being like any mother, but she was always crying.

_"I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry..."_ she would whisper so many times, it was now glued to her mind, apart of her. Lyla didn't know if seeing her would ruin the memories she had. They weren't good memories, but they were enough to make her feel...content.

"Now, I must bid you goodnight…" But there was no cheerfulness in his voice, as he rose up, towering above her. His face sadden and Lyla so wanted to see the twinkle in his eye, so desperately."Goodbye Lyla…"

He disappeared with a faint, _pop!_

He never ever said goodbye…

And she knew why.

* * *

The next night, Lyla looked up at Hogwarts. She hid in the tree branches gazing up at the sky above, a single tear running down her cheek. For a skull, made of the surrounding black clouds, was poised in mid-air, looming over the castle, a skeleton snake winding its way around, green light filtering through.

And she weeps…for she will never see him again…and she has known for a long time now.

It was Sirius all over again.

"Goodbye…Dumbledore…"

* * *

**Yes...it is a bit short, and depressing, but I didn't see the need to add too much. I only needed to show you guys Dumbledore's and Lyla's relationship a bit more.  
**

**Reason for lateness was simply my teachers decided it would be a good idea to drown us in homework (Not something I'm happy about, I can tell you). The next chapter will be up very soon, I just have to got through any spelling and grammar errors.  
**

**Please review, I do love hearing what you guys think.**


	13. Death

Lyla waited…She had been for the last couple hours. Sitting hidden among the tree branches, observing her surroundings. Ever since the first sounds of battle cries and the dying of the war at Hogwarts had been heard, she had begun her march to this place. There was nothing remotely special about this part of the forest. It was just as haunting, forbidding and foggy. It was who would pass through was the reason she waited.

_Crunch!_

The sound of twig meeting shoe, echoed through the dark forest. She couldn't see anyone, but she knew he was here.

So she jumped down and was followed with a loud gasp of surprise. Then a young man appeared before her; bleeding and bruised and said with a voice still after all these years full of surprise,

"Lyla?"

"Every time," she says smiling. He only half heartily smiles back.

"I wondered where you had got to…I thought…you would of…you know…appeared?" Harry says disappointingly. It wasn't the first time she hadn't, for she wasn't there when Hogwarts was attacked last time.

"I was not meant to appear for that part of the battle…I had to wait here…" Lyla says gesturing to her surroundings.

"For me…right?" Harry asks.

"Yeah…"

"You know what's gonna happen don't you?" Harry whispers sadly. "You've always known…Its the reason why you never got too involved with anything."

"Yeah…so I decided to come with you. You don't have to do it alone. You know?" Lyla says with a soft smile.

He smiles a small smile back, "Just…promise me you will stay hidden?"

"I promise." Lyla said, "But, I think you should open what's in your pocket first." She smiled warmly at him, while he sends back a confused expression.

Reaching down, he pulls out the…golden snitch.

He stays confused, until his eyes light up in realisation. "_I open at the close…_"He whispers to himself.

"I'm going to die." He whispers and presses his lips to the snitch.

It opens up and a small glittering stone shines back, the line interpreting of the elder wand, the circle for the stone and the triangle for the cloak.

"The Resurrection Stone." Harry says in disbelief. "Dumbledore…"

"Even after death that man can still surprise anybody," Lyla said smiling in memory.

Harry agrees silently and takes the stone out of its protected compartment. He closes his eyes and turns the stone over in his hand three times.

And before them several figures appeared, all smiling. Lyla reaches over to whisper in Harry's ear, "Open your eyes Harry."

He opens them and looks around in happiness to who surrounded them.

Lyla regonised all of them, even though she had only met two. They looked solid enough to touch, all looking younger by years, very much...at peace.

"You've been so brave," Lily Potter said looking lovingly at Harry.

Harry was speechless, just staring at her. Lyla wondered if he could stay looking at her forever.

"You are nearly there," James said. "Very close. We are…so proud of you."

"Lyla…" Harry began. "This is... my Mom and Dad." Gesturing to them barely able to utter the words.

Lyla smiles, knowing that this was Harry's moment, stepping back to give him room.

"Does it hurt?" Harry almost blurts out.

"Dying?" Sirius said, "Not at all. Quicker and easier than falling asleep."

"And he will want it to be quick. He wants it over." Lupin said.

"I didn't want you to die," Harry said. "Any of you, I'm sorry- Right after you had your son…Remus I'm so sorry-"

"I'm sorry too," Lupin said. "Sorry I will never know him…but he will know why I died and I hope he will understand. I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life."

After that, Harry paused in deep thought, then looked up at them all.

"You'll stay with me?" Harry asks. "Like Lyla?"

"Until the very end," James said.

"Will they be able to see you?" Asked Harry.

"We are part of you," Sirius said. "Invisible to anyone else…Well, except this anomaly." He said turning to smile at Lyla.

Lyla cannot help but smirk back.

"Why can you see them Lyla." Harry asked looking at Lyla.

"Like Sirius said…I'm an anomaly," Lyla said. "I thought the whole 'being able to do wand-less magic' would of gave it a way," Lyla smirks.

Harry just smiles back.

"How did you end up in the forest?" Harry asked. She knew that he was only asking because this would be his last chance, so she provided.

"When I was four, Dumbledore put me here. It was for my protection and for everybody else." Lyla paused, having trouble saying her next words. "You...you got to understand, Harry, that before Dumbledore my life was...well-sad. I was watching my mother, slowly lose herself to an unknown fate. She was a seer. She had seen something happen in the future, something which terrified her. It...torn her apart..."

Harry's eyes shared her sympathy. He knew what it was like to lose someone you loved.

"Her last act, towards me, was giving me to Dumbledore." Lyla continued. "I still don't know what it was that scared her so much. I can remember the days when she would cry and tell me how sorry she was. She hurt me with those words. For I didn't know why. I was kept secret from everybody else. My mother knew that much. So, when Dumbledore took me in, he had no need to try to cover up my tracks, for there was none. My mother was taken somewhere. I still don't know where..."

"What about your father?"

Harry's question sounded innocent and, yet, it very much was not.

"I've...never met him. I don't even know who he is."

Harry nodded, even though the lie was quite out in the open. Instead of asking more he looked into the forest depths ahead. It was time.

"Stay close to me." He said.

And they both slipped underneath the invisibility cloak walking to Harry's end. The dead following silent as always.

* * *

It wasn't long until they found the Dark Lord himself and his supporters. Voldemort was just as Lyla had seen: black cloak, bold white head, red snake like eyes and his long bony fingers wrapped around the elder wand. That she once knew to be Dumbledore's.

Two Death Eaters appeared bowing to him, then one spoke.

"No sign of him, my Lord."

Voldemort expression did not change; instead his red eyes pierced the surroundings searching.

"My Lord-" Began a crazy looking Death Eater, but she looked up to him with the utmost loyalty.

He raised his hand stopping her from finishing. He rose from his crown chair and started to speak addressing the Death Eaters around him.

"I thought he would come…I expected him to come." His eyes search once again the scene before him.

From their hiding position behind the trees, Harry took off the cloak, giving it to Lyla and stuffing his wand deep into his pocket. Lyla hugged Harry, giving him a warm smile and then vanished underneath the cloak.

"I was, it seems…mistaken." Voldemort said.

"You weren't" Harry said stepping out from the trees, as gasps, laughs and roars erupted from the Death Eaters.

"HARRY, NO!" A voice said from the back.

And Lyla recognised the giant man, Hagrid. He was tied down with chains, two Death Eaters pointing wands to his throat.

"NO, NO HARRY WHAT'RE YEH-"

"QUIET!" said one of the Death Eaters near him, silencing him with a wave of their wand.

Everything was deathly still as Voldemort and Harry's eyes met.

"Harry Potter," Voldemort said softly, raising his wand. "The boy who lived."

Lyla's breath caught in her throat, even though she had known this was coming, she found it so hard to watch. The tension was killing her.

"Avada Kadavra!" Voldemort shouted, a green light bursting from his wand. And Harry fell to ground…unmoving.

* * *

**Expect the next update to be a bit late. The Easter holiday is coming, and my teachers are making an effort to make us complete everything before Easter. So the next one should be after Easter sometime.  
**

**Give me feedback as always. Hopefully Lyla's past is starting to make some sort of sense. **


	14. The Truth

Lyla watched.

She watched as Lord Voldemort himself, struggled to his feet, dismissing any help from any Death Eater. She watched Narcissa Malfoy walk over and announce Harry Potter was dead. She watched the mad glee on Voldemort's face, the cheers, and roars from the Death Eaters and giants, their celebrations. And…Hagrid's tears as he carried Harry's body, still tied by ropes.

Of course, she knew the real truth. And she intended to play her part well.

She followed them, hidden underneath the invisibility cloak, as they made their way towards the castle grounds. It sickened her to see how delighted Voldemort was. She had to remind herself to stay in the shadows. It wasn't her time…yet.

His great snake Nagini now, free of its bubble protection, around his shoulders.

"Harry Potter is dead."

Voldemort's voice rang out magically magnified so that all heard him. They stopped their marched as Voldemort continued his speech. "He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone.

"The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and the Boy Who lived is finally finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of his or her family. Come out of the castle, now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters shall live, and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

Silence rained from every direction, no answer was coming.

"Come," Voldemort said, addressing his Death Eaters. They walked on. Hagrid sobbed. And Lyla could only watch them appear on the grounds of the castle. People batter and bruised lined up in front of the castle watching their approach like a cat to a mouse.

"Stop."

At the his words, they stopped. And the people who had layed their lives down for freedom, gazed down at the body in Hagrid's arms.

"NO!"

Professor McGonagall's words pierced the empty silence, hanging over every person. An explosion seemed to have erupted as voices joined showing their disbelief.

"No!"

"_No!"_

"Harry! HARRY!"

The screams only rose higher, as more voices joined, until-

"SILENCE!" Voldemort cried, pointing his wand causing jets of light to appear and explode above the chaos, forcing silence. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!"

They watched as a crumpling Hagrid placed Harry's body onto the floor next to him.

"You see?" Voldemort continued. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

"He beat you!" Ron yelled, only setting off the crowd again, in a cloud of voices.

Another, more powerful, jet exploded in the air, silencing them all once again.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds, killed while trying to save himself-"

Voldemort broke off as Neville Longbottom flung himself from the crowd charging at the Dark Lord, only to be hit and tumble onto the ground, disarmed.

"And who is this?" Voldemort said, hissing. "Who had volunteered to demonstrate what happened to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

Bellatrix laughed, expressing her glee at the sight of Neville at the hands of Lord Voldemort.

"It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord!" she said. "The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors remember?"

"Ah, yes, I remember," Voldemort said, watching as Neville regained his feet at his mercy in the no-man's-land between the survivors and the Death Eaters. "But you are a pure-blood, aren't you, my brave boy?" Neville's fist only clenched.

"So what if I am?" he said.

"You show spirit, and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom."

"I'll join you when hell freezes over," Neville said. "Dumbledore's Army!" he shouted, and was echoed with cries from the crowd.

"Very well," Voldemort said, spiking fear into the neighbouring Death Eaters, they knew what happened next. "If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head," he whispered, "be it."

Voldemort waved his wand, and seconds later; one of the castle's windows shattered as something brown and shappy came hurtling to Voldemort's outstretched hand. He held it from the point end, it drooped: the Sorting Hat.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School." Voldemort said. "There will be no more houses. The emblem, shield and colours of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone, won't they, Neville Longbottom?"

Neville's eye grew wide as Voldemort stepped forward, wand pointed directly at him. He placed the Sorting Hat on top of his head, while grabbing him by his bloodied shirt.

Now, it was Lyla's turn, time for the truth.

She flung the cloak off, making sure it landed near where Harry was lying. Gasps flittered through the crowd, and Neville silently mouthed her name. Voldemort himself, stumbled at her surprise appearance, but regain his composure quickly.

"Who are you?" he hissed, his wand now directed at her, as was several Death Eaters. Nagini gave a loud threatening hiss.

"Someone you should of cared for…" She said, sorrow in her voice.

"Answer the question."

"Lyla."

His snake-like eyes narrowed, obviously very suspicious of her.

"Your full name." he said.

"I don't use it." She answered.

He had an expression on his face, something between, anger, and…confusion. She knew he was trying to grasp her true identity.

"You…look like Jean…" he said, looking at her, his eyes raking over. There was something a spark…but it would never been what was first thought. For Lord Voldemort could never love…

"Yes," she answered. "Jean Foy."

"_Foy?!"_

Bellatrix's voice split the silent conversation, screeching.

"That _traitor_ abandoned us! Left us after your fall, my Lord!" Bellatrix, stepped forward closer towards Lyla, hatred evident in her voice and…jealously. "She never deserved the praise you gave her. You weren't there, my Lord, you weren't there, you didn't see what she did…Most loyal Death Eater, ha! I can tell you who-"

Voldemort's raised hand stopped Bellatrix's rant. He merely gazed over at her, before turning back towards Lyla.

"Then she deserved," he said, "what became of her at the end…"

Lyla's fists clenched beside her.

"Tell me." He continued. "Are you who I believe to be?"

Lyla paused, thinking of many lies she could say…but it was time for the truth.

"Yes." It was a strong answer, leaving no room for argument.

"Then join us!" he called, the Death Eaters cheering behind him. "Join us, to where you truly belong! For it is in your blood-!"

"No."

Voldemort stopped, becoming very quiet. A breath seemed to be held by all who watched.

"I truly believed you would." He said calmly. "I truly believe that you would take what was rightfully yours, and join me…my own flesh and blood."

"Then you were wrong." Lyla said, just as calmly as he was. "You should have foreseen how I would of acted towards you. Not once, did you come for me, looking for me, not once…"

Maybe it you had come, I would have welcomed you with open arms. Like any daughter to a father they have lost. But no. You left me to become hateful of you, to distaste your very being. I used to think, you know, that you would come for me…you wouldn't leave me to be terrified of the world I was in. I thought you would have understood, what it was like to have a parent abandon you…"

"You were with your mother." He said, her words not piercing his heart, for there was none to harm. "She was looking after-"

"A women in the past…" Lyla said, tears slowly leaking down her cheeks. "She would forget I was there, sometimes." She choked. "She was stuck, in a time with so much _fear._ Whenever she was like that, she always said, _I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry_."

Lyla met eyes that were exact copies of her own.

"She was never apologising to me. She was apologising to you."

Silence was held by each person; as the truth sunk in.

Voldemort's wand, once again, pointed at Neville, who was still in his clutches.

"If that is your true colours, daughter," he said, "then watch as the first victim to go against this new age, is to share the same fate as his parents…"

The wand was pressed against Neville's heart, the hat still firmly on his head. Only Neville's shaking hand betrayed his fear.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you again, father," Lyla said, standing in a defensive position, palms up. "You're going to have to let Neville go."

Her hands burst into flames, licking at the air.

Voldemort merely widened his eyes, but still composed himself. Instead of retaliating Lyla's words, he instead turned back to Neville, his wand making the movements for his incarnation-

-Only for Lyla to hit him with a ball of flame.

He fell backwards, landing on the ground, letting go of Neville, Nagini now on the floor as well. Neville took this opportunity swiftly, taking the Sorting Hat of his head, putting his hand inside the torn hat-

-And bringing out Godric Gryffindor's sword.

With one swift movement, he brought the sword down on the great snake's neck, slicing it in half. The head rolled across the floor, half open, in a silent scream.

Voldemort screamed in fury, but the roars of something else drowned his screams out…

It seemed only Lyla noticed Harry pull the clock over him, becoming invisible.

* * *

**To think I was listening to 'What a Wonderful World' while I wrote this…**

**Wow. To think it took me this long to write this chapter…I really did expect to have it done sooner.**

**So, I don't think it's really a secret that Lyla is Voldemort's daughter. I think most of you would of picked up most of the hints.  
**

**I feel pretty proud of this chapter (I think I managed to get all the emotion swirling around. Well, I hope I did).**

**Please review.**


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